


Her Beauty and the Moonlight Overthrew You

by vivilove



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Humor, Arya is Jon's best friend, Car Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Horny!Jon, Jealousy, Loss of Virginity, Masturbation, Misunderstandings, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Public Blow Jobs, Sansa is his secret crush, Summer Romance, Virgin!Jon, Voyeurism, and no Stark sister feuds in this fic either, because I'm a wimp, but not much angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-06-16 04:13:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 38,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15428760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vivilove/pseuds/vivilove
Summary: 18-year-old Jon Snow's best friend is Arya Stark.  He is also in love with her older sister.  Jon figures he'll carry that secret to his grave as surely as he fears being resigned to a life of celibacy if he can't get over his hopeless crush on Sansa.  But the summer before he leaves for college may change all that when Arya convinces him to spend a month at the Starks' cabin at Long Lake.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chocolateghost](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chocolateghost/gifts).



> I've been knocking around the idea of writing a fic where Jon and Arya are the same age and best friends as he secretly pines for Sansa for a while now and decided Jonsa Smut Week was a good time to launch this despite being on vacation. It should be a short multi-chapter. Short for me at least ;) 
> 
> Prompt from Day 5 of Smut Week-Watching Me
> 
> Gifting this to Brad for being the Bestest Fandom Bro who supports the hell out of me and plenty of other authors with his comments and because part of this chapter reminded me of a scene from his Mrs. Lovely fic :D

 

For as long as he can remember, Jon Snow’s best friend has always been Arya Stark. Since the day they’d met at primary, they’d been inseparable. Arya’s parents had been pleased when their rapscallion daughter had found a boy she wasn’t trying to beat up for a change and Jon’s mother was glad for her somewhat withdrawn son to find someone his age to play with. And since his single mom worked a lot of hours, Jon was soon spending much of his time at the Starks’ place.

As time went by, several people in Winterfell began to think the Starks had six kids instead of five. Admittedly, Jon and Arya looked like fraternal twins; same dark hair and grey eyes. Arya had even told Jon he was more like her brother in some ways than her actual brothers. Having no siblings of his own around, he’d always liked it when she said that. It made him feel like he was a Stark, too.

They shared everything with each other; their favorite toys and candies as kids, their preferred video games along with their hopes and fears as adolescents, and their triumphs and disappointments in general as they drew closer to adulthood.

They also shared their secrets.

Well, most of them…

But, Jon had one secret he had not shared with Arya, much to his chagrin. One he fully intended to carry to his grave. See, he was in love with her older sister, Sansa.

When exactly did this happen?

_Since puberty…or around the age of six. It’s a toss-up honestly._

Why hadn’t he shared this with Arya?

_Duh! She’d laugh at me…or kick my ass…or both._

Plus, he wasn’t entirely sure Arya would even believe him if he told her. As sisters went, Sansa and Arya were about as different as the sun and moon. At heart they were both good people but their interests lay in nearly opposite directions. But that was the thing; the things that made Arya his buddy and practically a sister to him did not draw him towards her romantically whereas nearly everything about Sansa did.

Arya was into contact sports and loved action movies.

Jon thought Sansa might consider shopping a sport but he had to admit he too could be engaged in a favorite novel as easily as any blockbuster.

Arya was skinned knees, dungarees and hair that resembled a bird’s nest much of the time.

Sansa was perfectly polished nails, crisp, yellow cardigans and lovely, flowing auburn locks that were always tidy.

Arya was loud and sometimes obnoxious but always good for a laugh.

Sansa was quieter, more serene but their occasional one-on-one talks were enjoyable.

Arya was quick tempered and quick to use her fists in an argument.

Sansa…well, she could grow heated during an argument as well. But he’d never seen her hit anyone and she preferred peaceful resolutions to disagreements overall.

Anyway, the point is the two Stark sisters both had Jon Snow wrapped around their little fingers in different ways even if neither of them was exactly cognizant of it.

Arya was his best friend. She was the one he could always count on. He’d do anything for her.

Sansa was his unspoken crush.

_She’s more than a crush. I love her._

And perhaps he did. But, he didn’t believe it was requited in the slightest. He wasn’t even sure she thought of him for more than 5 seconds when he wasn’t in her line of sight. Regardless, he’d do anything for her as well.

But obviously, nothing was ever going to come of this because he valued Arya’s friendship too much to jeopardize it, right? Plus, besides being two years older than him, Sansa was completely out of his league so even if he was ever crazy enough to attempt a move, he was sure to be shut down quicker than you could say knife.

As it turned out though, eighteen-year-old Jon Snow did not know everything. But the summer before he left for college, he was going to learn a few things.

 

* * *

 

  
Arya had labeled it their last summer of freedom when she begged him to spend the month of July at the Starks’ cabin in the woods at Long Lake. Jon had tried arguing that he needed to work rather than spend his summer in the sleepy little lakeside hamlet but then Arya had even lined up part-time jobs for them both at the local movie theater. It didn’t pay quite as much as cutting lawns probably would’ve but, when his mother encouraged him to enjoy his final summer before college with his friend, he’d agreed. They were planning to attend different schools after all and he was already miserable at the thoughts of no more Arya on a daily basis.

He was also miserable at the thoughts of pining for Sansa at an even greater distance and Arya had said she would be there, too. On that front though, he tried telling himself it might be for the best that he not see as much of her after this summer. All through high school, he’d not managed to get serious about a single girl because he’d been so obsessed with Sansa. She’d opted to stick close to home for college so she was still around often enough for him to never forget about her. Maybe once he reached Castle Black University, he’d finally put his hopeless crush behind him and be able to move on. Maybe he could even lose his virginity to a real live female instead of wanking off while thinking of Sansa on a nightly basis.

However, based on his reaction to Sansa’s arrival his first night at the cabin, he was likely doomed to a life of pining and celibacy as he perfected the five knuckle shuffle.

Jon and Arya had stayed up late with Bran and Rickon indulging the two younger boys in a round (or twenty) of Grand Theft Auto for old time’s sake. Oh, who were they kidding? They were still thoroughly engrossed in video game-dom. Turning eighteen had not magically changed that.

Just as they were calling it a night, Sansa arrived at last. In an orchid pair of shorts and a floaty white off-the-shoulder top with her matching Vera Bradley luggage, she was a walking daydream despite her three hour drive.

“I’ll help you with that!” he said, vaulting from the couch as she struggled through the doorway.

“Oh, thank you, Jon,” she said sweetly, flushing slightly as he took the three heaviest pieces. She was always so courteous. And always so adorable when she’d blush.

He heard Bran and Rickon snickering together over something and Arya telling them to shut it as he followed Sansa up to the room the two girls shared.

“You’re parents went to bed an hour ago.”

“Yeah, I texted Mom to say I was running late. Her and Dad are going on that hike in the morning with the Glovers.”

“Right.” She was grimacing and rolling her neck as he sat the suitcases down on her bed. “Are you alright?” _Do you need a massage?_ _I’d totally give you a massage_. Not that he would say that out loud.

“Yeah…just keyed up from the drive, I guess. And life in general,” she finished under her breath.

Sansa had broken up with her boyfriend Harry a few months ago, Jon knew. She’d not been sad exactly but definitely more sedate than usual. He hoped she wasn't missing him. He’d been an ass.

_Maybe not as bad as Joffrey though._

Jon still fondly recalled giving that fucker a blackeye back in high school after he’d seen him shoving Sansa and vilely cursing her in the hall one day. It had been completely worth the suspension in Jon’s opinion. He hadn’t been alone in that. Arya had been angry she’d missed the chance to kick Joffrey’s ass. Mr. Stark had even taken him out for wings with Robb afterwards.

 _"This is purely because you're a growing boy and likely hungry.  I am in no way condoning violence, Jon,"_   Mr. Stark had proclaimed.  

_"Yes, Mr. Stark."_

_"Call me Ned.  And, tell us how you punched that little shit again."_

But the best part had been the way Sansa had hugged him tightly, thanking him and making him feel like some sort of knight in shining armor…until she’d said she couldn’t believe he’d been so brave.

_“He’s two years older than you, Jon! And much taller! Thank you but I’m so glad you didn’t get hurt.”_

Jon had looked disdainfully down at Joffrey crying on the floor. _Hurt me? He might be bigger than me but there’s no way that mama’s boy was winning a fight with me_.

While he didn’t believe Harry had ever physically assaulted Sansa, it had only taken one meeting for Jon to be certain he was obviously unworthy of her. Jon would freely admit he was biased when it came to Sansa but from what Arya had shared he’d not been wrong either.

“Good summer so far?” she asked when she noticed him scowling at her statement.

“Yeah. Well, it feels like it’s really going to begin now that I’m back up north. That reminds me…I found something for you when I was down in Dorne. Hang on,” he said before he darted to his room.

He returned with the dragonfly pendant he’d found at an old curio shop while he was avoiding spending too much time with his father during his yearly two weeks down there. He’d spied it and thought of her. She’d always had a thing for dragonflies.

“Oh, Jon,” she sighed. “This is really lovely. You shouldn’t have gone to…”

“Nah, it wasn’t any trouble.”

“I hope it wasn’t too expensive. I know you’ve got books and such to buy in the fall and…”

“No, I got it for a song.” He didn’t but he’d be damned if he was going to admit it. “I just thought you might like it.” She was staring at him funny. He’d prepared for this. “I wanted to bring everyone something back.”

Granted, a bottle of Dornish Red for Mr. and Mrs. Stark, some Dornish coins and a bottle of sand for Arya and t-shirts for the boys wasn’t quite the same but…

“Of course,” she said then and the funny look disappeared to be replaced with another sort of look.  Dare he call it disappointment?  _No.  That's not possible_.  “I love it. Thank you.”

She leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. It wasn’t the first time she’d done that. She’d done it at his graduation just last month. But his reaction was always the same. His heart started thundering away and his palms got sweaty and he forgot how to breath normally. The room suddenly felt too hot and he couldn't seem to think straight.  He was glad she couldn’t possibly know all that.

“You’re welcome,” he stammered. She set the pendant on top of her dresser with a fond look. Then, he saw her shrugging her shoulders again and massaging her neck. “Maybe a soak in the hot tub would help with that,” he offered.

As soon as he said it, his dirty mind kicked into high gear imagining Sansa in a bikini with all those bubbles floating around her. She might have a glass of wine and her face would be flushed from the warm water. He could picture her sighing, her head lolling back as she grew more and more relaxed.

_Then, she’d dip her hand below the surface and start touching herself…just to ease the tension. She might even whisper a name. Let’s pretend it’s Jon. And that one jet in the corner that’s always been a bit more forceful might accidently knock her top loose._

He gulped and realized she was speaking to him while he was lost in his fantasy. He was also getting hard.

“I’m sorry. What was that?” he squeaked as he shifted uncomfortably.

She smirked and said, “I was just saying it’s late and I’m planning to get up early to make you kids breakfast since Mom and Dad are going on that hike.”

He grimaced. He didn’t like it when she referred to him as a kid. “You don’t have to make us breakfast, Sansa. I can take care of the boys for you.” _I am totally an independent and responsible adult now._   _Poptarts for everyone!_

She grinned and said, “Yeah, I know you’re capable, Jon. I just like doing it.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

She was always so nice that way. And she was a terrific cook. He was already picturing sausage and eggs. _Maybe pancakes. Those ones with the bananas, pecans and whipped_ _cream. Or the cinnamon apple ones_. Sansa had a sweet tooth and they all reaped the benefits whenever she cooked or baked.

They stood there rather awkwardly after that was decided, smiling at each other, neither one knowing quite what to say apparently. Sansa folded her arms across her chest but kept smiling. Jon wanted to start fidgeting but stood his ground, staring back at her. There was this delicious tension hanging between them. It reminded him of the charged feel of the air a half hour before a summer thunderstorm.  It was thrilling...a bit sexy. 

 _Maybe.  Maybe she just needs to pass gas and hopes you'll leave soon_.

“I’m beat!” Arya announced, entering the bedroom behind him and disturbing whatever that had been. “I’m hitting the hay. We’re wakeboarding tomorrow, right?”

“Uh…right.” He glanced over at Sansa and wondered if she’d like to go wakeboarding, too. _In a bikini._

“You in, Sans?” Arya asked as though she’d read his mind. Sansa demurred and said she had a dress she was making for one of Uncle Edmure’s girls that she thought she’d finish. Arya nodded and then turned to muss his curls. “Better get your beauty sleep, Snow White.”

He rolled his eyes at her mocking nickname and bid them both goodnight before heading to the room he had shared with Robb in years past. Robb was 24 now and living on the other side of the country. Jon had to admit he was looking forward to the privacy since he already had that hot tub fantasy all cued up in his mind for bedtime.

After he finished unpacking, he brushed his teeth, grabbed a few tissues to place on the nightstand and took off everything but his boxers before lying down in one of the room’s twin beds. The house was quiet. Mr. and Mrs. Stark had turned in earlier and he figured everyone was trying to get some shut eye by now. He closed his eyes and let his mind roam.

_Sansa in the hot tub…_

Just as his hand slipped under the waistband of his boxers, he heard music quietly playing from outside under his window. He heard singing, too. He’d know that sweet melodic voice anywhere.

_‘He came on a summer’s day_

_Bringin’ gifts from far away_

_But he made it clear he couldn’t stay_

_No harbor was his home…’_

He climbed out of bed and went to peek outside. Down below on the back deck was Sansa…in the hot tub.

_Mother, Maiden and Crone!_

Jon stumbled back from his window, afraid she could see him. But the lights were out in his room. Even with the full moon, he shouldn’t be too visible unless she was looking for him.

He crept back towards the window. Gods, she was a vision. The moon was casting a silvery glow on the woods beyond the deck but there was a warm yellowish light coming from inside the bottom level of the house illuminating her.

Hormones and curiosity waged a short battle with his decency and common sense and soon emerged triumphant. He quietly opened his window to hear her singing better. That was the only reason. Yeah, right.

_‘The sailors say: ‘Brandy, you’re a fine girl’ (you’re a fine girl)_

_What a good wife you would be (such a fine girl)_

_But my life, my lover, my lady is the sea…’_

He couldn’t see her as clearly as he might like but he could see enough. He could see all that long auburn hair hanging down, dark and shiny where it had met the water. And he could see the strings of a dark blue bikini over her creamy white skin. She had a glass of red wine by her side as she sang softly along to the radio.

And when the next song started, the dulcets tones of Marvin Gaye, there was no mistaking what she was doing when her hand disappeared below the water just as he’d fantasized about earlier.

“Seven fucking hells,” he muttered, unable to believe his eyes.

She was facing him but her blue eyes were closed. Her cherry red lips were parted as one hand cupped a breast. He could tell by the way the other one was jiggling that her other hand was busy out of view as the water swirled around her.

He knew it wasn’t proper to stand here watching her in her private moment. Surely, she imagined no one else was up or she wouldn’t be doing this out in the open. His conscience told him the gentlemanly thing to do would be to close his window and get back in bed. But he was eighteen, a virgin and the woman of his dreams was right under his window getting her rocks off.

Thus, he was only somewhat ashamed as his own hand slipped back into his boxers and gripped his aching hard cock.

 _Am I dreaming?_ he wondered as he found his rhythm. _Meh…if I am, I hope I stay asleep long enough to watch her cum._

He felt light-headed as he started stroking himself. His eyes started to close, losing himself in the pleasures of the flesh, but he forced them back open. He could close his eyes and do this any damn time. He wanted to watch Sansa and watch her he would.

Her face and shoulders were flushed that rose-petal pink. Her lips parted as she started making these breathy little moans that carried over the sound of the jets up to his window. Her eyes appeared glazed over and she was panting when she opened them unexpectedly and looked right up at his window.

“Oh, gods!” he yelped. He started to drop to the floor, hoping against hope that she hadn’t already seen him. _Or heard you, you idiot._

His face was flaming as he dared to look her way once more. Then, his jaw drop when she drew the hand that been under the water up to her mouth. She winked at him and then proceeded to daintily lick one of her fingers with a sultry stare.

“Fuck me,” he whimpered before his head thudded heavily against the window pane. “Ow!”

She giggled and stood up in the hot tub. She polished off her wine and then untied the strings of her bikini top. There was no doubt now that she was well aware he was watching as her top fell onto the water’s surface.

“Oh, please fuck me,” he whined next, rubbing his sore forehead.

Sansa’s tits…how many hours had he devoted to picturing them the past few years? And gods, they were even more perfect that he’d imagined. A bit larger than a ripe peach, an ideal handful. Flawless, pink-tipped and glistening from the water. He wanted more than anything to put his hands on them. Scratch that. He might want to put his mouth on them even more.

She sat back down in the water, coyly pretending that she was unaware that he was watching her every move now. Her breasts bobbed in the hot water. It was mesmerizing. Next, she started fondling them…for him.

_How hard did I hit my head?_

He pinched himself. He pinched himself harder and shook his head. She was grinning at him when he looked back at her.  Nope, he was not hallucinating.

He was painfully hard now and his boxers were suddenly too restrictive. He looked down at the bulge straining to escape its confines. His own body was visible in the moonlight. Would she want to see him as much as he wanted to see her? He wondered if he dared do this. Whatever had prompted her display, she was being bold. He could be bold, too.

He looked down at her to see if she was watching before he shoved his boxers to the floor and allowed his cock to spring free at last. She licked her lips. He would take that as a good sign. And now, he was picturing her licking something else. He was also desperate to cum.

She moved up to perch on the edge of the hot tub, allowing him to see more. She put her hand back down the front of her bikini bottoms and gave him a little nod.

“Sansa…you’re going to kill me,” he huffed.

The sound must’ve carried because he heard her answering laugh as her fingers started to move under the fabric.

He kept his eyes locked on her as he started stroking himself, slow at first and then harder and faster. She was mouthing something. He wasn’t much of a lip reader but he told himself she was saying Jon.

With his free hand, he pointed at her suit. He wanted to see all of her. She bit her lip with a coquettish grin and shook her head. But she did spread her legs further apart. It was alright. Her breasts were bouncing as she frigged herself under the bottoms. He could see her hand moving. He could imagine the rest.

Her other hand was gripping the edge of the hot tub as she gasped and a blissful look came over her face. Her mouth opened again and this time he heard what she was saying on the summer night’s breeze.

“Jon…oh, Jon…”

His face screwed up in ecstasy as soon as he heard her. “ _Unnn_ …oh, shit!” he cried as his balls tightened up and he shot his load, his cum spurting all over his hand and the floor below his window.

He put one hand on the wall next to the window to brace himself as he caught his breath. He was still half expecting to wake up at any minute. He looked down at her shyly and she smiled back up at him, a sweet hesitancy in her eyes now.

Gods, he loved her. He wanted to fold her up in his arms and tell her that. He wanted to kiss her till neither of them could draw breath. He hadn’t even touched her but he belonged to her body and soul. His heart was thundering away like it always did when he was near Sansa but now it was different. This attraction wasn’t as one-sided as he had feared. And wasn’t that shiny new information?

He held up a finger, hoping she wouldn’t disappear, before he darted off to grab the tissues from his nightstand and wipe off his hand and the floor. But when he looked back out the window, she was gone.

He heard the sliding glass door below his window open and close. Had someone been stirring? Was she coming up to his room?

He broke out in a cold sweat of nervousness at the thought but also felt his cock twitch with interest and hope. Would she mind that he was a virgin? He hoped not.

He closed his window and laid back down on his bed. In his heightened state of awareness, he kept thinking he heard her footsteps coming up the stairs but he was never sure.

Nearly an hour passed and he resigned himself to the fact she wasn’t coming to him. Was he supposed to go to her? But she shared her room with Arya. He couldn’t go to her. He could go see if she was still downstairs but now maybe he’d left it too long. He didn’t know what to do. Was that all she’d wanted? Was that all he’d ever have of her? Gods, he thought he might die if that was all they ever got to share.

He laid there for two more hours, his heart thudding painfully in his chest now with every breath, wondering what any of it had meant to her before he fell into an uneasy sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fic title taken from lyrics of 'Hallelujah' written by Leonard Cohen. Lyrics in chapter from Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) by Looking Glass.
> 
> Rhaegar got a mention but there won't be any Targs in this otherwise and let's assume Elia left his sorry ass and took Rhaenys and Aegon with her years ago so that's why Jon isn't close to them.


	2. Chapter 2

 

“Gods, Arya!” she nearly shrieked when she entered the cabin, her eyes readjusting to the brightness indoors only to find her younger sister staring at her from the foot of the stairs. “You nearly scared me to death!”

“Why aren’t you in bed?” her sister mumbled, still half asleep.

“I…I wanted a soak…to relax,” Sansa replied, her heart pounding like a drum from her surprise. Actually, it was still pounding from what had just occurred outside. “Did you…” _See anything? Hear anything?_ “…need something?”

“I wanted some milk.”

Sansa smiled then. Her sister had done this since they were little; always so eager to show the world how tough she was most of the time but, if she woke from her sleep like this, she would pad downstairs looking for a cup of milk like a small child.

“I’ll fetch you some.”

She hoped Jon wouldn’t come looking for her if Arya was up. She didn’t think she could look him in the eye without blushing like mad and seriously doubted he’d be able to play it straight. Even a sleepy Arya was still sharp as a tack.

At least now, Sansa had a task to occupy her hands as her mind ran along at 90 miles a minute. She hadn’t been sure what her next move was anyway. She had planned on going to talk to him but would they do more? Was she ready for that? Was he? She knew he was probably wondering what had just happened.

 _That would make two of us_.

She didn’t know what had prompted her behavior when she’d realized he was watching her.

_Liar. You know you were thinking of him._

As if she’d summoned him with her sexually charged thoughts, there he had stood when she’d glanced up at his window, softly lit by moonlight like a reverse of Romeo and Juliet’s balcony scene…but with masturbation and a hot tub.

He was far too attractive with those curls and pouty lips for any young woman’s sanity, especially one who’d been busily attempting to cum whilst thinking of him. She had felt an unaccustomed but delightful wickedness wash over her and done something she had never done before…deliberately put on a display to seduce a man. And gods, had it worked. It had worked for them both. Not that she’d expected much resistance from Jon. She was still just shocked she’d done it.

Jon Snow had been part of her life for so long now. He was practically family although she’d never been as close to him in that respect as the others. Oh, she had tried to think of him as another brother over the years but never been entirely successful at it. There was always an awareness of him being different than Robb, Bran or Rickon.

And, as he’d grown up, especially this past year, she’d noticed Jon more and more in less than sisterly ways. He’d gotten taller, more muscular and grown a beard. In short, he’d transformed from a cute boy into a hot guy.

But Jon wasn’t just good looking. He was kind and intelligent. He was brave and thoughtful. Basically, he was everything Sansa wanted in a man before she even really knew what she wanted. After suffering through the likes of Joffrey’s cruelty in high school and Harry’s philandering this past year, Sansa knew Jon Snow was everything she could hope for…even if he was two years younger than her.

 _And he’s Arya’s best friend_ , she thought with a pang as she glanced at her sister. _What would she think?_

She couldn’t come between their friendship. She couldn’t jeopardize her bond with her sister over some guy either, even a wonderful guy like Jon. And she couldn’t hurt Jon.

She knew he liked her. She suspected at least some of the family knew it, too. Her mother certainly did. She remembered when she’d first become aware of his rather long-standing crush.

“Does Jon hate me?” she’d tearfully asked her mother around the age of thirteen. “I try to be nice to him but we’ve never got on as well as he does with everyone else and I know Arya and I fight but…”

“No, darling. I’m quite sure Jon doesn’t hate you,” Catelyn Stark had responded with a grin.

“But why does he stare at me like that whenever I walk into the room? He always looks cross or annoyed or…something. And he never talks! If I say anything to him, he mumbles at me and turns away. What is that?!”

“He is a bit obvious, bless him,” her mother had laughed before explaining that boys often struggled with how to handle crushes and some of them came across cold more than anything initially. “But, be careful, Sansa,” her mother had warned her next. “He’s younger than you and impressionable. I know you’d never want to hurt him but if you don’t reciprocate his feelings it would be easy to do so even without trying. Be a friend to him but try and keep a certain distance is the best advice I can give.”

At the time, it had seemed like sound advice. But now, Sansa didn’t know if she could follow it anymore.

The clock struck one and the sisters sat together on the sofa for several minutes as Arya sipped her milk. Sansa told herself that Jon might have fallen asleep. She hoped he had at least. Perhaps Arya’s wakefulness had prevented her from making a horrible mistake. She didn’t know what to say or do after what had transpired under the full moon earlier and now perhaps they could pretend it hadn’t happened or was just a moment of madness on a summer’s eve.

_That would be for the best. Just pretend nothing happened. A month from now, you’ll be back home and then before long he’ll go off to Castle Black and forget all about you._

She told herself that many times as she lay in bed for the next hour or more listening to her sister’s soft snoring and thinking far too much about the occupant two rooms down. She didn’t believe it anymore the hundredth time than she had the first. She’d always been good at pretending but apparently she was shit at pretending when it came to what happened tonight with Jon Snow.

 

* * *

 

 

Arya didn’t know what it was but there was definitely something off at breakfast. And she was not disparaging her sister’s pancakes. Those were as tasty as ever.

She was pleased that Sans had made Jon’s favorites this morning. They all enjoyed the banana nut ones but the cinnamon apple were his personal favorites. Why did that matter to Arya? Because Jon didn’t get spoiled all that much and her friend deserved a bit of spoiling even if she’d never say that out loud. That’d sound too weird. Lyanna was a great mom but she was busy, same as her own mother. So it was sweet when someone made an effort to do something special for Jon. But it wouldn’t be Arya in this case. She would be the first to tell you she was shit at cooking and baking.

But there was just something in the air this morning…something that wasn’t just Shaggydog or Rickon’s morning breath.

Everyone was still wearing what they’d slept in. Well, Jon had thrown on a tee and gym shorts. But that was good since he’d taken to just sleeping in his boxers and that’d be a little too much flesh at the breakfast table.

Everyone’s hair was still untouched by a brush…everyone but Sansa. But that was normal. Sans came down to breakfast every morning looking like she’d spent an hour brushing her hair. The sickening thing was, it didn’t take her anywhere near an hour to look that good. Not that Arya was jealous. Okay, maybe just a little. But she’d long ago accepted the differences between herself and her sister.

If Sansa was model beautiful, that was alright. Arya could objectively admire her sister’s classic beauty while feeling secure knowing she possessed her own sort of beauty. And whereas Arya had a nice boyfriend (even if he was bull-headed) who would be attending Riverlands with her in the fall, she knew Sansa had had the worst luck when it came to guys. Thank the gods she’d finally dumped Harry the Ass. Arya couldn’t begin to comprehend why any guy would cheat on someone as sweet as Sansa…or mistreat her like Joffrey had. What the fuck was wrong with the guys in Westeros?

_She just needs to find a good guy like Gendry. Someone who’s brave, gentle and strong…even if he’s also a dork at times._

Unfortunately, she knew her sister’s self-esteem had been seriously damaged by both of those losers. But she held out hope that Sansa might be ready to give someone (someone worthwhile, that is) a chance soon.

Back to breakfast and the strange vibe…

Arya observed her table companions closer while lifting another forkful of pancakes.

Rickon eating like a savage? Check.

Bran waxing on about some astrological event that was going to happen later in the month? Check.

Jon stabbing moodily at his food while secretly mooning over Sansa? Check.

Oh yeah, she knew. Her best friend was many things but subtle wasn’t always one of them. To be fair, he could be subtle. He could even be sneaky. But not when it came to girls in a romantic sense.

Once, Gendry had set him up with his lab partner from Chemistry. Jon had been rather hopeless as the four of them had been on their double date. Arya had cringed on his behalf as he alternated between flustered stammering and sitting silent as the tomb with his mouth clamped shut. He later admitted to her that he hadn’t even liked the girl all that much.

But with Sansa it was different. He still would stammer and grow flustered but the heart eyes…gods, the way he stared at her! Sometimes, Arya thought you’d have to be as thick as a brick not to see it.

She didn’t really mind. Granted, she’d been wigged out the first time she’d made the realization that Jon had the hots for Sansa but over the years it had become another facet of his personality in her mind. Not that she’d ever said anything to him about it. Sure, she enjoyed taking the piss out of her best friend from time to time but she’d never tease him about a matter of the heart. She didn’t want to hurt him. Besides, he’d been really cool about Gendry and never given her any shit about that…unlike her blood brothers.

But, Sansa had never mentioned Jon’s crush to her. If she was aware of her sister’s friend’s crush, she’d never acted in an overt manner to show it. She was nice to Jon but Arya didn’t think there were any deeper feelings there on Sansa’s side. So, it was probably just best to let sleeping dogs lie.

Or was it?

Sansa was not chatty like usual at the table. She looked sort of forlorn and was chewing at her bottom lip. The classic 'Sansa is troubled' tell. Jon was brooding and silent. That wasn’t unusual but what was strange was the way both of them kept casting anxious looks at the other when they weren’t looking.

It was all very _tense_.

Even with Rickon’s gorging and Bran’s rambling, there was a very specific brand of tension in the air. She’d bet her last groat on what kind of tension it was and began to wonder if maybe it wasn’t just Jon crushing now. But these two…they’d need a nudge. A big one. She was sure of that.

_And they’d probably wonder what I thought. Wait. What do I think?_

She could almost hear Ross Geller shouting, _“My best friend and my sister?!”_ And then, with a sappy smile, _“My best friend and my sister.”_

Her best friend and her sister. Well, there were far worse scenarios.

Jon was a good guy. Sansa deserved a good guy. Sansa was a nice girl. Jon deserved a nice girl.

So if they were potentially into each other, what was the harm in a little summer romance?

_But if it doesn’t work out…oh, boy._

The last thing she wanted was to do anything that might drive Jon away if things between him and Sansa went south but maybe, just maybe, it’d be worth the risk. Arya wasn’t a bubbly girl whose heart was filled with sunshine and rainbows _(AT ALL!)_ but she possessed enough optimism to think positive in this instance.

_Carpe diem and all that._

 

* * *

 

 

The music drew his attention as it drifted across the water towards him. Jon scowled at the dock where she sat in her chair with her sunglasses on and her portable speakers blaring.

_‘I wanna follow where she goes_

_I think about her and she knows it_

_I wanna let her take control_

_'Cause every time that she gets close, yeah_

_She pulls me in enough to keep me guessing_

_And maybe I should stop and start confessing_

_Confessing, yeah…’_

Obviously, the dress for Uncle Edmure’s daughter was done but he hadn’t really expected to see her down her. He’d hoped not to anyway. But thirty minutes ago, down the path she had come.

Sansa had every right to join the four of them at the lake but after his long, gut-wrenching night and the world’s most awkward breakfast, Jon had built up more than a little resentment towards her despite the awesome pancakes she’d made. It’s not like she knew they were his favorites, right?

And, did she have to be so damned hot lying there? And why did she have to tease him and tempt him and then leave him so confused last night? What the fuck was last night anyway?

_You come down here, all red haired and gorgeous. Sporting that same damn bikini as last night. Lounging on your lounger chair, rubbing on the sunscreen till you’re all glistening and perfect. I think you missed a bit of your back though. I could help with that. Lying there, listening to your fucking pop music and acting like nothing even happened..._

“Fucking Others!” he shouted in aggravation as he wiped out again.

“Hey! What’s with you today?” Arya shouted back at him from the jet ski.

“Huh? Uh…nothing,” he said when she circled back around.

He’d wiped out three times now. He was usually pretty good at wakeboarding.

_I’m damn good at wakeboarding! At least, I am when Sansa’s not distracting me with her very existence!_

“Something’s wrong. You don’t ever suck this bad.” Her eyes were narrowed, giving him that patented Arya lie-detector scan she’d perfected around the age of ten.

“Uh…” _I had my first sexual experience with another person last night…who happened to be your sister…even though we never even touched each other. But then she_ _disappeared and I laid awake half the night trying to figure out why. And then, breakfast was awkward as fuck…for me at least._ “I’m just tired, I think. I slept poorly.”

She pursed her lips before apparently deciding she was satisfied with his response. Gods, he hated lying to her.

“Okay. Wanna switch so I can have a turn?”

“Of course. Sorry.” Arya dove right off the side of the jet ski before he passed her the board and took her place. “Ready?” he called.

She gave him a thumbs up and he gave it some gas, picking up speed gradually so Arya could get on her feet. But then...

“What the fuck, Jon?!” Arya shouted. The jet ski had come to a full stop and she was gliding along behind him, slowly sinking back into the lake.

“I thought I saw a, um…log in the way.”

 _You dirty little liar. There was no log_.

The truth was Sansa was dead ahead. He’d let off the gas as his mouth fell open when she had rolled to her tummy…and then unhooked the back of her bikini.

_Seven, save me._

“Bullshit. You’re staring at my sister in her bikini, aren’t you?” Arya laughed from the water.

“What?! Keep it down, will ya?” _Voices carry over water!_

“It’s alright, Jon. You’re certainly not the first guy to stare at Sansa.”

_Oh, so you think this is the first time I’m noticing her? Okay then._

“Um…yeah. You caught me,” he grinned sheepishly. In an effort to quickly steer the conversation away from Sansa, he decided he needed to make her an offer she couldn’t refuse. “Hey, would you want to go do paintball later at that place down the road? My treat.”

_Very smooth, Snow._

Those sharp grey eyes narrowed again.

_Aw, shit! The jig is up!_

Jon felt like he may as well crack open his chest and expose his beating heart along with his secret obsession with her sister.

But then, Arya smirked and said, “Sure, Jon. That’d be fun.”

He should’ve been relieved. Instead, he felt even more like a dirty rotten liar. Before, he’d not shared his feelings for Sansa with Arya but now, it was almost like he was outright misleading her. Plus, he still didn’t know what to make of last night.

“Maybe we can invite the boys to go with?”

“Sure, I know they’d love it.”

“And maybe Sans, too.”

_WHAT?!_

_Wait a sec. What am I worried about? Sansa and paintball? She’d never agree, would she?_

But she could.

“Hey, guys! Wanna go to that paintball place tonight with me and Jon?”

Both boys nodded at once which he’d expect but then Sansa shrugged and said, “Yeah, I’ll go.”

Jon was fairly certain his brain was short-circuiting now…or the universe was about to implode.

On one hand, Sansa-Please-Don’t-Get-My-Dress-Dirty-Stark had willingly decided to participate in an extremely messy activity, one that involved shooting little pellets of colorful paint at other people as they shot at you.

On the other, images of Sansa in a thin white tee and short shorts, covered with wet paint, running through the woods at night as he tracked her floated before his eyes. He pictured himself, last man standing, jumping out from behind a tree or something and grabbing her around the waist. She’d shriek and then they’d laugh about them both needing a nice hot shower and then…

_Oh, shit. What have I done? What is she doing to me?! And WHY?!_

“Are you guys ready for some lunch?” Sansa asked, breaking in on his rambling, horny thoughts.

“Breakfast was only two hours ago!” Arya shouted.

“I’m hungry!” Bran and Rickon both replied from where they were swimming near her.

“I’ll help you make it!”

They all turned and stared at him as soon as the words flew from his mouth. He only had eyes for Sansa though. She looked…um, concerned was the first word that came to mind. _Well, fuck it. I deserve some answers._ Jon Snow was not a coward. He was going to get to the bottom of this…whatever this was.

Bran offered to take his place on the jet ski and Jon swam to the dock, trying his best to settle his semi while keeping his confidence from dwindling the closer he drew. He climbed out dripping wet. She was biting at her bottom lip and staring at everything but his face. That was okay. He needed to avoid eye contact too if he wasn’t going to lose his nerve. She wrapped her towel around her as he dried off.

_Don’t look at her. Sheesh, don’t think about her in that bikini under that towel. You’ve got to keep your head on straight._

“Sansa, we need to talk,” he said quietly to the wood planking at his feet. He heard a barely audible hum and took it as an agreement. Then, he slid on his shoes without a word and turned towards the cabin. He would not wuss out now. “You coming?” he called over his shoulder. He didn’t look back to see if she was following but he prayed she would.

But as he walked, Jon Snow knew one thing. He was shit at talking. He was shit at talking about this sort of stuff anyway. What in seven hells did he know about these conversations?

_So, hi. Remember me? The guy that carried in your luggage when you arrived last night and then later stripped in front of you and jerked off? By the way, any thoughts about that? But yeah…I watched you get off while you watched me, too. So, that was something new…for me at least. And AMAZING! And, I really wanted you to come to me afterwards but you didn’t. Can you tell me why? Because I’m really confused and hurt right now. Frankly, I’m not sure what to do about any of this since I’ve never had so much as a girlfriend, let alone done anything like what we did last night. Honestly, I’ve kissed two girls. One of those was just a peck on the lips. Does that still count? Gods, now I’m thinking about kissing you. Also, I’m in love with you and have been since I was ~~thirteen~~ ~~eleven~~ eight…okay, six._

Jon shook his head at his pathetic ass just as they reached the cabin. He couldn’t say all that, could he?

Nope but maybe he could _do_ something.

However, Sansa decided to speak first. “Thank you,” she said as he held the door open for her. He closed the door behind them and felt her grasp his hand. His pulse started racing with her simple touch. “Jon, I’m sorry if I hurt you by not talking to you sooner about what happened last night. I was afraid and thought maybe we could just avoid this conversation. That’s not what I…well, I’m bad about doing that, avoiding things I’m unsure of. Anyway, last night was…gods, I think I was half drunk or maybe crazy but…”

His heart sank. Actually, he felt like someone had just drove a knife into his chest. She was going to let him down easy. Last night hadn’t meant anything to her. It was just a moment of madness at most to be blamed on too much wine. He closed his eyes, ashamed of the tears that were already forming. He didn’t want to cry in front of her.

“Jon…” she said softly, moving closer.

He felt her hand caressing his cheek and bearded jaw. Why’d she have to be so sweet if she was just going to break his heart? He sucked in a ragged breath and opened his eyes before swallowing hard. He couldn’t seem to speak. Her lovely blue eyes were wide and filled with tenderness as they flickered between his eyes and his lips.

“No, no, no,” she murmured. “I’m saying it all wrong. What I wanted to say was I was going to come to you afterwards but Arya woke up and…”

“Arya woke up?” he croaked, his heart swelling back to life once more.

“Yeah. She was downstairs when I came inside. But, about last night…”

He didn’t let her finish. Instead, he pinned her against the door and kissed her for all he was worth.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from 'There's Nothing Holding Me Back' by Shawn Mendes.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter on a lazy Sunday to keep my momentum going. I hope you guys enjoy it all the same :)

 

When Jon had declared he was going to help her with lunch, Sansa had immediately felt all fluttery with panic. He was going to confront her and make her talk about last night. It was what was right and she felt shame for trying to avoid it. She was two years older than him and being a coward. Starks weren’t supposed to be cowardly.

Then, he’d climbed out of the water and she’d been overwhelmed by an entirely different brand of fluttering.

Jon Snow had an amazing body. There was no question of that. It was part of what had prompted her cowardly butt to join everyone down to the lake, to watch him wakeboarding. What could top Jon in action…and wet?

But Sansa's thirst went into overdrive the moment he joined her on the dock. Oh, she’d seen him last night but here he was, three feet away, like some sort of raven-haired Adonis. His arms, shoulders, chest and back muscles were simply Davinci-like in their perfection as he toweled off. She had to bite her lip as all those little droplets of water were gliding down his smooth, taunt abs to his naval and then beyond where a tantalizing trail of dark hair disappeared into his trunks. And, thanks to last night, Sansa knew exactly what he looked like without those trunks on.

_Except his ass. Haven’t seen his ass yet._

Sansa bit her lip harder and tried not to fantasize too much about his ass as she meekly followed him up to the cabin.

Jon wanted to talk and they would talk. But what would she say? What was he about to say? She was a nervous wreck. If she admitted she wanted him, where did they go from here? How would they ever tell Arya and the family? If she admitted she thought she might be in love with him…gods, it was scary! The thought of loving someone and them not loving you back turned the flutters in her tummy into a cacophony of butterflies.

Most of all, knowing Jon like she did and knowing her own heart, how could she ever let him go when summer ended?

_Would I have to let him go?_

She wasn’t sure.

But, she knew how crushes went, how you tended to view your crush through rose-colored glasses. He’d been crushing on her for a long time. How could she live up to the Ideal Sansa he’d probably dreamt up in his mind? She worried she never could and he’d get bored with her or be disappointed by the reality of Real Sansa. Wasn’t that what had happened with Harry?

Ending things with Harry hadn’t been hard per se. Deep down she knew it wasn’t true love even if they’d said they loved each other once upon a time. But, the night she’d found him with another girl in his room during one of his frat party, she’d been hurt as well as humiliated all the same.

He’d jumped up off the bed with his pants still half way down his thighs and chased her back into the common area where everyone had been. At first, he’d begged her to give him another chance and claimed he’d just drank too much. But when he saw she was gathering up her purse to leave, he’d started saying things…cruel things about their own sex life in front of everyone. They were all his friends. Sansa had got in her own dig and managed not to cry at least, to escape with a shred of her dignity intact.

However, there was no denying the entire mortifying experience had left quite a mark. It had been painful but not because she had lost the guy. It was painful because the guy was such a shit and she regretted ever getting involve with him.

But if she started something with Jon, ending things would be a whole other level of pain, she suspected. She needed to protect her heart…and his.

Before she knew it, they were standing in the cabin and it was time to say something. He was staring at her, working himself up to something, when she started babbling away thoughtlessly. The moment she saw the tears forming in his eyes, she realized she was screwing it all up yet again. She was already hurting him. On top of being a coward and trying to minimize her behavior in some half-hearted attempt to excuse her uncharacteristic behavior, she was hurting Jon, the last thing she wanted.

“No, no, no. I’m saying it all wrong. What I wanted to say was I was going to come to you afterwards but Arya woke up and…”

“Arya woke up?” he choked out.

“Yeah. She was downstairs when I came inside. But, about last night…”

**Wham!**

Next thing she knew, her back met the back door and Jon was kissing the living daylights out of her.

And oh, gods…what a kiss. Whatever he might lack in experience and expertise, he more than made up for in his passionate enthusiasm and tenderness.

He cupped the back of her neck with one hand, letting his fingers slide through her hair as his thumb swept across the ticklish spot under her ear. His other hand went to her hip, squeezing it before she felt him tugging her towel away. Her body was warm from her sunbathing and his was cool from the lake water but it felt like a chemical reaction was unleashed when they met. Her knees turned to jelly as he pressed himself against her with those full, firm lips, his mouth and tongue exploring her freely.

Her eyes, which had widened in surprise initially, drifted shut with a sigh as she allowed herself to relish the sensation of everything; the feel of him holding her, the hunger of his kiss and the way him nipping at her bottom lip made her dizzy, the lingering cinnamon flavor on his tongue when he angled his head to kiss her deeper and the lean, hard lines of his body. All of it was an indescribably heady brew unlike any kissing she’d ever known.

She moaned into his mouth and a zippy thrill coursed through her when he moaned in return. Her hands found his broad shoulders before carding through his curls, savoring the silky softness of them.

But then, he had the audacity to stop.  She whined at the loss of contact when he pulled back unexpectedly, his chest heaving just like hers as his eyes roamed her face.

“I’m sorry,” he panted, his voice so low and gruff she involuntarily smooshed her legs together. “I didn’t let you finish talking a minute ago.”

“Was I talking?” she asked dazedly, already leaning back in and 100% certain her bikini bottoms were drenched even though she’d never touched the lake earlier.

“Uh...fuck if I know.”

He dove back in again but this time, after another scorching-hot kiss, he started peppering her with soft, gentle pecks. Her lips, her cheeks, her jaw, her throat; they all received loving attention. She could swoon at the sweetness of it.

She urged him back up to her mouth, eager to taste him again, and felt his body shift. His thigh was nudging its way between her legs. She spread her legs and rocked forward just a touch. The pressure was perfect against her clit and she gasped.

“Does that feel good?” he murmured against her lips, his hot breath making her more daring. She nodded feebly and felt both hands grasping her waist snuggly. “Can you cum for me like this?” he asked.

Could she? She’d never cum like this before but then his thigh pressed against her harder just as she rolled her hips again.

“Oh, fuck…Jon,” she whispered helplessly. She couldn’t. They shouldn’t.

“Yeah? Come on, Sansa. Cum for me, sweetheart.”

She gulped and her hips canted once more but tentatively. But of course her mind had started churning, throwing all those questions from earlier back at her. She didn’t want to think. She wanted to focus on feeling. She huffed in exasperation. Gods, she wanted him desperately but now her cheeks were growing hot at the thought of dry humping his leg in the kitchen.

“Jon…I don’t know if…”

“Don’t think so much…and don’t you dare stop,” he commanded as his hands slid around the back of her bikini bottoms and slipped down them to squeeze her ass. She gave a needy whine and he kissed her fiercely again. How could she think too much when he kissed her like that? “I wanna see it. I wanna watch you come undone for me when you’re in my arms,” he husked. “I’ve never made a girl cum. Let me try, please.”

That did it. The worries flew off along with the butterflies as sparks from those grey eyes ignited a fire in her belly.

She began riding his thigh, wanting more, wanting all of him but not ready to beg for it just yet. And this was so good. His hands kept a steady hold of her as she rubbed against him and they kissed. She felt his cock, hot and hard through his trunks, poking her in the hip. She wanted to put her hands on him. She wanted to feel him inside her. She wanted to make him feel as good as he was making her feel but she was too close to a release to break the contact.

His mouth tore away from her lips and moved to her neck again. He was nipping and sucking his way along her jaw and then her pulse point, making her quiver. She was flushed and hot and needed him. His hands moved from her ass up her sides, stopping near her breasts.

“Touch me, Jon.”

She yanked at the knot behind her neck, allowing her bikini top to fall. She adored the way his mouth fell open and then his eyes lit up with a boyish delight. But then, he touched her.

Rougher than her own but gentle, his hands cupped her breasts as she closed her eyes again and focused on the pleasure. He was squeezing, testing their weight, swiping his thumbs across her nipples all while she kept riding his leg, getting closer and closer.  He made a sound between a whimper and a growl as he lightly pinched one nipple sending her over the edge and into the abyss.

“ _Unnn_ …JON!” she cried as stars danced behind her eyelids.

There was a quiet humming in her ears and he was warm and soft against her now as they both sagged against the kitchen door together catching their breath.

The air conditioner kicked on and she could hear the dryer shut off. Birds chirped outside. Off in the distance, she could her the jet ski dashing across the lake. Just everyday things when nothing about today felt ordinary anymore.

She stroked his face, just as she had earlier, enjoying the prickly feel of his beard and staring deep into dark grey eyes.

“Sansa, did you…”

“Yeah,” she sighed.

“I thought so,” he smirked.

“Want me to…”

She gestured towards his trunks. She wanted to touch him, give him pleasure too but his smirk turned into an embarrassed shrug.

“Yeah but I, uh…came when I started fondling your tits.”

His ears turned red and he looked at her sheepishly, like he’d mess up.  He hadn't messed up even if both of their swim bottoms were a bit of a mess now.

She giggled softly and kissed his cheek. “That’s okay. We can…”

Before she could finish her thought, Shaggydog started barking and they heard voices approaching the front door of the cabin.

“Oh, shit! It’s Mom and Dad!”

Jon’s eyes grew round like saucers as she quickly tied her bikini top back and snatched her swim cover-up from its hook by the door.

“What do I do?!”

“Go upstairs and change! I’ll start lunch and…everything will be fine!” she assured him.

He started to turn and go but then hesitated. He stared at her and she could tell he was working himself up to say something but there was no time. And that girl inside, the one who wanted to protect her wounded heart, wasn’t sure she was ready to hear it.

She gave him a quick but passionate kiss instead and then a slight shove to get moving. He grinned mischievously at her and fled up the stairs right before her parents walked in.

They were hot and tired from their activity and dropped to the sofa as Sansa raced in to greet them.

“Mom, Dad! You’re back! Good hike?”

She told herself she only sounded a little hysterical.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, we'll get another Stark's thoughts on Jon and Sansa and Jon's going to have the best paintball experience of his life ;P


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon's head over heels, Ned wonders if there's something afoot and Cat is certain there is. And while Sansa may be falling, she's still fretting about the landing. Meanwhile, Arya will do whatever it takes to give Jon and Sansa some alone time even if it means betrayal. Also, I should probably tag blowjobs in public places.

 

With the sticky factor in his trunks, Jon decided a quick shower was a necessity as soon as he reached his room. He also figured his girl might appreciate him not smelling like the lake. Because obviously, she was his girl now from this day until his last day.

Granted, they had not actually declared any feelings…or had a real conversation about anything that had happened between them yet but these were just mere technicalities. Things would just naturally fall into place now. He’d kissed Sansa Stark and she’d kissed him back! Clearly, this was true and lasting love.

The separation when classes started in September would be hard but there were telephones (FaceTime, phone sex, sexting…oh my!) and long weekends where his car could make the drive south for sleepy Saturday mornings, golden autumn afternoons and chilly clear nights under the stars with his girl. There were even old fashioned love letters to write! It was all going to be fine.

Rinsing the shampoo from his hair, he started singing of all things. Jon Snow wasn’t much for singing but…

_“At last…my love has come along_

_My lonely days are over and life is like a song…”_

Yeah, he was no Beyoncé and definitely no Etta James but who doesn’t think they sound awesome in the shower? He put a lot of heart into it anyway.

Once he dried off, he spent a few minutes smirking at himself in the mirror.

_Who kissed Sansa Stark today? This guy!_

_Who got to touch Sansa’s tits today? This guy!_

_Who has two thumbs and got Sansa off? This guy!_

Before he could get too embarrassed by his own ridiculous behavior, he decided to get dressed. Mr. and Mrs. Stark were downstairs and he’d not seen them since yesterday…back when everything was different. He felt a niggling of worry and guilt over facing them. They’d always been so kind to him and here he was carrying on with their oldest daughter in secret. He wished he could tell them that his intentions were honorable. Maybe Ned would go ahead and give him permission to marry her someday.

_Nah…getting a bit ahead of yourself there. You said you’d help with lunch. Show Sansa that you follow through with shit before you start picturing what your babies might look like someday._

Dressed and fresh once more, Jon thundered down the stairs to greet the Starks and help his girl make sandwiches.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey, Mr. Stark! Good hike this morning?”

Ned jolted awake from where he’d been dozing in the recliner after his long, hot hike this morning at the unexpectedly loud greeting.

_Do they think I’m going deaf? Sansa was practically shouting at me, too._

“Hello, Jon. Yeah, it was alright. I heard the jet ski. Figured you’d still be down on the lake with Arya, Bran and Rickon.”

“Yeah, I was feeling kind of, um…tired. I’m taking Arya to do paintball tonight though. Is it okay if Bran and Rickon come along?”

“Of course. I’m sure us and Sansa can find something to…”

“Oh, Sansa’s coming, too.”

“Sansa’s…coming…too?”

“Uh huh. I gotta go help her make lunch now. See you.”

“See you,” Ned repeated as the boy headed off to the kitchen with a huge grin on his face.

Ned had known Jon Snow since he was six years old. He liked Arya’s best friend a lot. He was a great kid. Honestly, he loved him like another son. But never in the twelve years he’d known him had Ned ever seen the kid prefer making lunch to playing around down at the lake. In the years since they’d been bringing Jon along on family vacations, he had always been as active and happy outdoors as the rest of his kids were, save Sansa.

Ned had known Sansa even longer naturally. She’d had him wrapped around her little finger from the moment she’d sighed and blinked at him as a newborn with her bright blue eyes and hint of red fuzz on top of her tiny head. He didn’t mind her quieter ways or her preference for indoor activities. That was just Sansa.

So, Sansa going to paintball with Arya and the boys?

_That’s a new one._

Something peculiar was going on around here.  Ordinarily, Ned was not a huge fan of changes.  His motto was generally; Change bad, same good.  But, he liked to think he could be flexible when it came to the kids.  

 _Maybe she’s just wanting to try something new that her siblings enjoy. Maybe Jon figures he needs to learn his way around the kitchen a bit before he heads off to Castle Black_.

And, when Jon presented him with a cold beer and chips and Sansa handed him a plate bearing a delicious pastrami and roast beef sandwich on homemade bread with all the trimmings, Ned figured the changes might just be alright.

 

* * *

 

 

 _He really can’t hide it at all, can he?_ Cat thought to herself with a grin as Jon stared at Sansa like she’d hung the moon and stars. _But what’s going on with her?_

Sansa had been unusually flustered in the kitchen, even more so than she’d appeared when they’d first come home. Her cheeks had been so pink as she screeched out a greeting. She’d looked almost feverish honestly but she said she’d been laying out by the lake which might explain that.

If it had been Arya, Rickon or even Bran, Cat would’ve suspected some sort of mischief afoot at once. But Sansa had always been her good girl who rarely ever gave her a second’s headache.

Cat glanced up from where she was cutting up tomatoes on the kitchen island across from where Sansa was tearing up lettuce in time to see her staring at Jon, staring right at him with the biggest doe-eyes Cat had ever seen as he stared longingly right back at her.

_Oh, shit._

Suddenly, Sansa’s earlier tone of hysteria when they’d arrived home made sense. Apparently, there was something going on…or something had been going on right before they’d returned. Combined with the shower running upstairs and Jon bounding into the kitchen soon after which seemed to coincide with Sansa’s increasingly flustered state, she was certain more than just sandwich making was on their minds.

Not that she objected if there was a possible romance on the horizon but she had her worries.

She worried about her daughter of course. Harry Hardyng was what Cat would’ve described as a good theoretical boyfriend, as in he had sounded good _in theory_. Dashing looks and charm galore from a good family. But when she’d met him the first time…oh, boy. There was a false note to all that charm with a bit of snobbery beneath the surface. There was also a hint of a roving eye. So, Cat hadn’t been all that surprised by the phone call she’d received from a weeping Sansa a few months ago.

It was a relief that Sansa seemed to handle it fairly well after the initial shock. She would’ve hated for her daughter’s heart to have been too greatly invested in that jerk. However, she suspected Sansa might still be licking the wounds her pride and self-esteem had received. And, it didn’t help that they attended the same school and she’d be bound to see him around.

_If only she could find a good guy to put Harry behind her…_

But Jon?

Jon was…well, he was like another son to her. She’d been aware of his crush on Sansa well before her daughter was. He was bright and sweet as well as a truly good person. He was also younger and completely besotted with Sansa. To Cat’s knowledge, he’d have very little experience with love. There’s a reason most people don’t usually marry their first loves.

_All those intense new feelings but not always much depth to back them up._

And, Sansa was still recovering from a nasty break up. Sometimes, that led to rebound relationships which were often more about physical comfort and moving on than really being ready for something serious. Would that help or hurt her in this instance? Despite being younger, Jon was precisely the sort of young man her and Ned would want for their daughter but what if Sansa was only thinking short-term?

It sounded like a good recipe for heart break.

And Arya…Jon was her best friend and Sansa was her sister. How would she feel about all this? If they tried to make a go of things and it blew up in their faces, everyone one feel the impact but Arya especially would.

Of course, they weren’t children anymore. She could not get in the middle of it. She would watch and wait, give advice if needed and pray that no one’s heart wound up broken. And if it did, she’d gladly offer a shoulder to cry on.

 

* * *

 

 

The day had drug on with no more opportunities for them to speak alone…or kiss some more. Sansa found herself eager for night to fall. She didn’t know what madness had seized her to agree to paintball no more than she could believe that she’d done what she had last night in the hot tub. But when Arya has asked if she wanted to come along with her and Jon earlier, Sansa just knew she wanted to be with him tonight wherever he was going.

_More time with Jon and more kissing._

Of course, she’d agreed to paintball before any kissing had taken place. But after she’d been kissed by Jon Snow, she knew she wanted more kisses…and more everything.

She slowly brushed out her hair after dinner and tried to decide what to wear for this activity. Her fingertips brushed along the soft, florally summer dresses in her closet. She could almost picture Jon’s eyes lighting up when he saw her in one of them but this was paintball. She also wanted to wear the stunning jade and gold dragonfly pendant he’d brought her back from Dorne. No matter what he claimed, she knew it had to have set him back more than a few stags.

_What are you thinking? That you’re his girl now or something? You want to wear the jewelry he brought you to show everyone you’re his when you don’t even know what you are…or if he’s really yours. You’ve not talked about any of this. Let’s just enjoy whatever this is for now and…not think too much about it._

Even as she thought that, it sounded hollow in her mind. They were going to have to talk eventually. She was going to have to find her courage like he had earlier and figure out where they might be headed. July at Long Lake wouldn’t last forever.

_No, it won’t, so enjoy this time with Jon and see what happens. Then, you can face what the change of the season may bring later._

Her heart gave a painful thud. Their colleges were four hours apart and Jon would soon be off exploring campus life, making new friends and _*gulp*_ meeting new girls.

Based on what he’d said, she figured Jon must be a virgin which was fine. It’s not like she’d had tons of experience either and, if Jon could get her off with no more than kissing, his thigh shoved between her legs and touching her tits, he was already doing better than Harry had 90% of the time. And while some guys might have only been interested in a summer fling and some sexploring with their best friend’s sister before heading off to college, she knew that wasn’t all it was to Jon.

_But once he has some experience under his belt and he’s off to Castle Black, he’s bound to…_

_Stop_ , she told herself, her heart clenching painfully, before her mind ran too far ahead.

She laid down her brush and picked out an old white t-shirt that had been Robb’s.

_I mean, we are talking about paint on clothing here!_

“No, no, no,” Arya said, coming into the bedroom. “You need pants and long sleeves. Layers would be a good idea. Make sure you put your hair up, too. No one will notice it with your mask on anyway.”

“Mask?”

“Yeah, you don’t want to get shot in the face.”

“Oh,” she said, grabbing another shirt. “Does it hurt when you get shot?”

“A little. It's kind of like a bee sting.”

“A bee sting? That…that doesn’t sound very fun.”

“Trust me, it’s awesome,” her sister said with glee.

Sansa slipped on some blue jeans ( _my least favorite pair!)_ and pulled a dark, long sleeve t-shirt over Robb’s old one before putting her hair up in a messy bun. They headed downstairs to where they guys were waiting. Sansa was sort of downcast over her appearance after her earlier romantic notions of summer dresses and dragonfly pendants. No way any guy would be excited to see her like this.

But she was wrong. Jon’s eyes still danced merrily as he rose from the couch and smiled at her. She was grateful that Arya’s continued instructions distracted her from the way Jon was making her blush with his sweet smile.

“Now, we play in teams so it might be the five of us against other teams. It depends on how many people are there tonight.”

“Okay. I hope I’m not too awful.”

“You’ll do fine. Just stick by me and Jon.”

She nodded and they all headed to Jon’s car. She lagged behind when she realized Jon was behind her. “Arya said it feels like a bee sting when you’re shot.”

“It can. It depends on how close your opponent is…and what part of you they hit.”

“Oh, dear,” she muttered.

She felt Jon grasp her hand and turned back to find his eyes, dark and intense, as he stared at her. “I’ll protect you, I promise.”

She wanted to giggle. They were going to play paintball but he made it sound like a sacred vow or something. Instead, she started grinning at him like a lovesick ninny and thanked him.

As they drove along the winding roads towards their destination, Jon kept stealing glances at her through the rearview mirror. She imagined what it might be like if they were alone, heading off to see a movie or go grab dinner or…

_Something dreamy and romantic._

Sansa felt a rush every time she found his eyes on her. Her lips would quirk into a half smile before she’d quickly turn away to look out the car window. The moon was hanging low over the trees and still appeared as full as it had last night.

_‘In the moonlight,_

_Where the shadows play,_

_When the thought of what could happen_

_Takes your breath away…’_

She glanced back his way to find his eyes still on her and her pulse quickened once more.

**HONK! HONK!**

“Seven hells, Jon!” Arya shouted from the passenger side. “Are you trying to get us all killed?! Eyes on the road, mister!”

“Sorry! Sorry!”

Sansa sighed as reality returned. They weren’t alone heading off on a romantic date. She was wedged between Bran and Rickon in the backseat of Jon’s car as they bickered over who was the best at paintball. And, rather hurtfully, they appeared to be taking odds on how long she’d last. Three minutes was Bran’s more generous guess.

“If she’s lucky and finds a place to hide right away.”

 

* * *

 

 

Paintball was awesome any old time but Umber’s Paintball at Long Lake was the best, Arya decided as she reloaded her gun for their fifth round. There were plenty of people here tonight which made the competition more exciting but the course was amazing. A huge wooded area with plenty of trees and brush for hiding and narrow trails to navigate.

Her legs were a little tired from crouching behind a bush so long in the last round as she waited for several of the other players to take each other out before she sprang into action and wiped out the remainder of them to claim victory.

Bran and Rickon were having a blast. They also seemed to be enjoying tormenting Jon as he struggled to protect Sansa at every turn. Jon had been doing a fair job of it until the last round when he’d been taking out three minutes in. Sansa had managed to hang around for ten more minutes before she was knocked out.

“He’s our teammate and she’s our sister!” Arya had scolded her little brothers when they’d laughed.

However, when she saw how tired Sansa was looking as they started their final round and realized that not being able to keep Sansa safe was starting to get to Jon, Arya remembered breakfast this morning…and then all those dopey looks the two of them had been sharing over lunch and then dinner.

And to top it all off, him and his big _‘I’ll protect you, I promise’_ declaration as they’d been walking to the car…gods. She ought to frag his ass for being so openly sappy. But if she fragged Jon then he’d be out of the game that much quicker and…

_Oh! Oh, yes..._

They needed a nudge, right?

But she’d need another gun…one from another team with different colored paintballs.

Arya raced ahead of them and spied one of those Frey pricks. She snuck up on him and drew a bead on him before he even knew he was in danger.

“Turn around,” she said menacingly.

“Shit, Stark. What’re you doing? They’ve not even sounded the start yet.”

“Give me your gun.”

“My gun? Why do you want my…” She aimed her own gun…at his balls. Less than five feet away. It would sting like all seven hells. “Here! Here! Take the freaking gun! I’m going to tell them you cheated!”

“I’ll give it back, you wuss. Just wait here.”

Arya doubled back with both guns and heard the start signal. She could hear Jon and Sansa coming down the trail, whispering tactics as she hid behind a large tree. She took a deep breath and started sniping, striking Jon four times in the chest and getting Sansa in the shoulder.

“Fucking hells!”

“Ow!” Sansa cried.

Arya felt awful but maybe it would be worth it to give them a little time alone.

“What the fuck happened?!” she shouted, racing from her hiding spot with only her gun in hand. “It was that little Frey fucker. Look after her, Jon! Take her to the car and we’ll be along after I’ve avenged you both!” She started to tear off down the trail again but then inspiration struck again. “I’ll wipe out all those Freys so it might take me a while!”

There…that ought to do it.

 

* * *

 

 

_Fucking loser._

She’d been shot the last two rounds and it was all his fault. Jon was feeling decidedly unheroic as they turned in their masks and gear before they trudged back to the parking lot.

Sansa was at his side, shooting looks his way. He could barely look at her though. He’d thoroughly failed in his objective; to protect his girl no matter the odds.

“Well…that was fun,” she said brightly.

“Yeah, right,” he grumbled.

“It was!”

“Sure…until you got shot because of me.”

“Excuse me? You didn’t shoot me.”

“No, but I…”

“I can do things without you watching over me, Jon Snow! You’re not my big brother. You’re younger than me!”

“I know that! I’m…I’m sorry,” he finished dejectedly. _I still feel like a loser_.

They walked along a bit further and she bumped her shoulder into his. “I had fun, Jon. I really did. It was actually a lot of fun and I’d be willing to try it again, okay?”

He raised his eyebrows at her skeptically. “Really?”

“Really. Okay…I was pretty tired after Round Three but it was fun up till then. You were really terrific in that second round when you were last man standing.”

He felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “You were standing with me.”

“Because of you.”

“Thanks. I’m sorry I didn’t manage to keep you from…”

“Jon, there was no way you were going to be able to defend me all night out there. It was okay. The sting fades pretty quick. Gods, I need a shower though.”

His cock twitched as his fantasy from earlier came to mind. “I need one, too. Or a soak in the hot tub,” he said with a husky note in his voice. Her eyes widened in curiosity. His car was right in front of them but there was a picnic area nearby that would be deserted this time of night. A little bit more privacy would be welcome. Steeling his resolve, he grasped her hand. “I’d like something more than a shower right now. Come with me?” he asked, tugging her towards the path that led to the picnic area. He was pleased by the way she smirked at him and immediately let him take the lead.

Secluded but not all that far from the activity, they could hear shouts from the paintball course but no one was around to bother them as Jon led Sansa to a table. Once he had her sitting on the edge of a table, he stood between her legs, still holding her hand.

“I’d really like to kiss you some more.”

“I’d like that, too,” she sighed, already melting against him. He tipped her chin up with two fingers, gazing into her blue eyes that sparkled in the moonlight. “I’m a mess,” she demurred, growing uncomfortable with his scrutiny.

“Yeah...and you’re beautiful,” he argued before he lowered his mouth to meet hers.

Like earlier, the kissing soon grew heated and Jon grew hard. He wanted her so much. He loved her so much. He ground against her when she wrapped her legs around his waist. Fuck, he’d ride home in sticky pants if necessary he decided as he cupped her ass and pulled her up even tighter against him. This felt too good. She felt too good in his arms. He wanted to get her off again. He wanted to watch her pupils grow dark and hear her little mewls of pleasure when she came for him again.

But Sansa had another idea…

“Trade places with me,” she said pushing him gently back with a hand on his chest.

They twisted around, somewhat awkwardly, until he was the one sitting on the edge of the table and she was between his legs. She carded her hands through his hair, a soft and loving expression on her face, before she took a seat on the bench below him.

“Sansa?”

She started unbuckling his belt and gave him a playful grin. “Better keep an eye out for intruders, Rambo.”

“Oh, shit…Sansa…”

“Yes, Jon,” she purred as she unbuttoned his jeans. “Can I do this?”

“Can you?!” he squeaked.

“Or should I say, may I?”

“I…wasn’t…talking…grammar. Gods. You can…may…oh, fuck.”

He decided to shut his trap and simply started nodding at her like a goof.

She slipped her soft, warm hand into the slit in his boxers and pulled his cock out. “Mmm,” she said, smacking her lips as she looked at him. “Very nice.” He twitched in her hand and she giggled. “I think it likes me.”

“It likes you. _Ohgodsohgodsohgods,”_ he babbled as she started pumping him.

Steady but firm, her hand moved up and down his length as he watched. Once in a while, he’d remember to glance quickly around the area but he was far too interested in watching Sansa to keep a vigilant watch.

He knew he’d cum all over her face if she kept this up. Okay, a dirty part of him really wanted to cum all over her face.

But then she did something even better.

“That feels good?” she asked.

“Uh huh.”

She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss and then lowered her head. “Tell me if this feels better.”

Jon’s mouth was bone dry and he felt a little lightheaded when Sansa’s hot, wet mouth closed over his cock. “It…fuck, it feels even better. Fuck…”

She hummed appreciatively which made his eyes cross for a second. Then, she began alternating between sucking and licking him as she glided up and down.

At one point, she only had the tip of him in her mouth but the way she’d swirl her tongue around him was heavenly. He played with her silky hair, pulling it down from its messy bun, as she sucked his cock. Every time he made an embarrassingly needful sound, she would hum around him and he wouldn’t feel remotely embarrassed.

But then, she’d take him in deep till he almost imagined that he was touching the back of her throat. In fact, she gagged slightly at one point and he gripped the picnic table to keep from cumming right then and yanking on her hair too hard.

“Sweet girl…shit, I’m so close,” he whimpered, his balls tightening up already. He would never last.

“Cum in my mouth, baby,” she whispered just as she sucked him in deep again.

_Well, if you say so!  “Mmm-ugh!”_

He was floating in a fog as he watched Sansa swallow and then daintily wipe her mouth. She stood up, leaning into his chest between his legs again. He pulled her up against him, kissing her passionately, not minding that he could taste his salty cum on her tongue. He liked knowing she’d done that to him. He wanted to try that out on her…as soon as possible.

But the end of game signal rang and Jon knew the others would be looking for them at his car soon.

“Thank you,” he panted as they broke their kiss. “That was…amazing.”

“You’re welcome,” she said with a sweet, shy smile now. “I’m glad you liked it.”

“Like it? I loved it.”

He pressed his forehead against hers and held her close. He wanted to tell her he loved her but something made him hold back. He didn’t want her to think those words were connected to the blow job. He needed her to hear it but not at this moment.

“We should get going,” he murmured with a final soft kiss.

“Yeah, okay.”

He tucked his now flaccid cock back into his boxers and buttoned up before slipping his hand into hers and leading her back to the parking lot.

He still had some worries and concerns about all this. But, Sansa Stark was the love of his life. There was no doubt of that in his mind. He was going to spend every day of this month at the lake showing her she was his everything.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I must confess that despite him being one of the dorkiest versions of Jon Snow imaginable, I'm having fun with this lovesick puppy :)
> 
> Lyrics from 'At Last' by Etta James and 'Moonlight' by Sting.


	5. Chapter 5

 

“Alright, I got her to leave,” Arya said into her phone as soon as the door closed.

“You didn’t have to run her off. It’s her room, too.”

“Uh, I did if I’m going to talk about her.”

“What’d you tell her?”

“That we’re about to engage in some phone sex.”

“Are we about to engage in some phone sex?” Gendry asked so very hopefully. Her irritable huff was the only response he got. “Okay, so Sansa and Jon…you think they’re doing it?”

Arya rolled her eyes but then realized Gendry couldn’t see her rolling her eyes so she huffed again instead. “No. Aren’t you listening at all? I think they want to do it but they haven’t yet.”

“But you said…”

“That he follows her around practically panting the past week.”

“This is different for Jon how exactly?”

“AND…she’s being all swoony around him! Plus, they slip off here and there when we’re all down at the lake or sometimes they both go upstairs at the same time and disappear for ten or fifteen minutes.”

“Okay. So, they’re boning.”

“What?! No! That’s not what I’m saying at all! They’re still tiptoeing.”

“Tiptoeing around the boning?”

“Yeah. They’ll get there but for now it’s like stolen make-out sessions or something. Stuff’s happening but I’d bet a thousand dragons he’s not cashed in his V card yet. They need to get on with it too because not saying anything is killing me!”

“You’re looking forward to telling them you’ve been on to them the whole time, aren’t you?”

“Of course, I am! DUH! Anyway, the tension is so thick, it’s like waiting for a dam to burst around here. They’re also sickeningly sweet when they think no one’s watching. Gods, imagine what they’ll be like as a couple who’s out in the open.”

“We’re sickeningly sweet sometimes…when you’re not threatening me.”

“Shut up.” She was trying to sound annoyed but grinning while she said it wasn’t helping matters.

The past week since paintball Arya had noticed a new pattern. Her plan to get them some time alone to talk had definitely worked…or sort of worked. And there had been the added bonus of wiping out the entire Frey posse.

But while there was clearly something going on, sometimes she wondered what they’d said exactly. Jon wasn’t always much of a talker. He was notorious for clamming up when it came to deep feelings with anyone but her. And normally, his admittances were because she forced him to talk. She figured her sister could work through that though.

_Well…maybe. Sometimes, Sans can be kind of tight-lipped with her inner thoughts, too._

She still didn’t know the whole story with Harry. She knew Sansa had told their mother which she’d expect but Arya hadn’t asked for details. She didn’t need to pry to know he was a dickhead and they’d broken up. Now, she had to wonder if there were any details there that might’ve been useful to know.

Arya shook her head and also wondered what it would be like to hold back the stuff she was thinking and feeling. It just felt so unnatural to her. Not shouting out _‘I know! I_ _know! You both just need to bone!’_ every time she saw them giving each other those heart eyes across the room was already enough to drive her nuts. But, she didn’t want to scare the bejesus out of them either. She could give them their bubble when the relationship was still their little secret.

A very little bubble.

Just tonight, she’d walked into Jon’s room before dinner. He’d been in the bathroom washing up and left his laptop lying on his bed with the browser still open. It was practically an open invitation to look, right? His mouth had fell open when he saw her.

“Don’t you knock?!”

“Hello…the door was unlocked. And since when have I been much for knocking? ‘Everything You Need to Know about How to Go Down on a Woman’? A Cosmo article? Seriously, Jon?”

“Get the fuck away from my computer, Sneaky Snooper,” he’d fumed before striding across the room to slam the laptop shut.

“I’ll answer to that name. Why don’t you just watch porn?”

“I’ve watched porn. It’s so fake.”

“Fake? It’s porn. They’re not CGI-ing that shit.”

“Okay, not fake in that sense. I mean, the girls all seem...how can you tell if they really like it or it’s all an act?”

“Oh! Well…it’s porn,” she’d shrugged. “But, I’ll tell you straight up, us women of the non-porn show variety appreciate a guy who’s willing to go downstairs for breakfast and give it his all.”

“Shit, Arya…”

“So, who’s the lucky lady, Jon Snow?”

“Do we have to have this conversation right before we go eat your mom’s spaghetti?” he’d asked, his face suddenly matching the color of Catelyn Stark’s Bolognese sauce. Arya had laid across his bed on her stomach and smirked at him in reply “Alright,” he’d said, shutting his door again and coming to sit beside her. “So…there’s this girl I really like.”

“Well, I would think so. Looks like you’ve been holed up in here studying for an exam.”

“Shut up. And yeah, I am.”

“That serious, huh?”

“I’m…I’m in love with her. But you know I’m still a…”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Anyway, she’s not and I don’t want her to be dissatisfied or disappointed.”

“Just because you’re inexperienced doesn’t mean you’re incapable of bringing her pleasure. And, I’m sure she won’t be either of those things if she’s with you. I know you, Jon. When you care about someone, you’re the most giving person I’ve ever met. It’ll show in the bedroom, too.” He’d looked up so sweet and uncertain at her and she’d felt a little tug at her heart. _Please, don’t hurt him, Sans._ “Do I know this girl?” _Like, maybe all my life?_

“Uh…no.” Arya had sighed. She hated that he felt the need to lie to her. But Jon must have been feeling guilty she suspected for he’d quickly changed his response. “You might know her but…do I have to answer that right now?”

“No,” she’d smiled, pleased that he’d shared that much at least.

“Anyway, we’ve not gone that far yet but maybe soon. I was just doing a bit of browsing. I thought maybe I could find some decent advice about how to…you know.”

“Eat a girl out.”

“Make it pleasurable for her! Gods…why am I talking to you about this again?!” he’d said flopping backwards on the bed with a dramatic groan.

“I’m your best friend!”

“And a girl! I’m sorry. I’m going to be terribly old-fashioned and put an end to this conversation right now.”

“Who’re you gonna ask if not me? Samwell Tarly? Sorry but do you really think that guy knows a vulva from a vagina? Or a labia from a clitoris?”

“ARGH!! I can’t hear you! I can’t hear you!” he’d shouted before storming from the room.

Arya had rolled to her back, shaking her head at poor Jon’s embarrassment. _Guys_. Then, she’d read the article. Jon might not love hitting the books but he was smart. And when he wanted to learn how to do something, he took it seriously and wanted to do it right. _Lucky, Sansa_ …

“And?” Gendry prompted after she’d shared that nugget.

“Uh…he’ll definitely be well read.”

“And??”

“I’m certain he’s planning to practice that on someone and I’m betting we know who.”

“Got any pointers from that article that I might need to work on?”

“Nah,” she grinned, “You do alright.”

“Yeah?” he asked, all low and husky, making her wish August would hurry up and arrive.

“Gods! Lemme lock the door first.”

 

* * *

 

 

_‘Last night you were in my room,_

_Now my bedsheets smell like you_

_Discovering something brand new_

_I’m in love with your body…’_

Jon could hear the music through the wall and wondered when Arya had decided she liked Ed Sheeran. Or maybe Sansa did. He’d have to log that if so.

It was becoming one of his favorite things to do; take note of Sansa’s favorites. Not just her favorite foods, books and such either. He was quickly memorizing her favorite way to be kissed depending on the moment. She liked hot and possessive kisses when they only had a few seconds but, when everyone was down at the lake and they felt safe for ten minutes or so, she liked slow, lingering kisses that’d start off deep and passionate and end up with him worshipping her entire face with his lips. He loved learning the way he could draw that breathy little moan from her with his hand down her panties or bikini bottoms or how her breath would hitch and her eyes would roll back when she was about to cum for him.

_Fuck, I’m getting hard thinking of this stuff._

Since the night of paintball (the night he’d received his first ever blow job from his future spouse), time had seemed to be flying by at a dizzying pace. Between working at the movie theater and the family always being around, their time alone had amounted to a few fistfuls of minutes, filled with bliss but so short. The rest had been one long waiting game till the next opportunity arose. He needed to get his act in gear. Every time he looked at a calendar, he felt a little stab of fear. They needed to know where they were at before their time at Long Lake ended.

_But, I’m total shit at talking._

Not really but he wasn’t getting his feelings out the way he wanted.

“Love you,” he’d murmured in her ear the other night.

“Hmmm?”

They’d been sitting on a blanket outside together, watching Ned fume over the telescope that wouldn’t stay in focus while Bran had them all cornered to discuss the comet that would’ve been visible…if not for the clouds.

“Uh…nothing.”

He’d chickened out from repeating himself. He’d never said it to a girl before and he wanted to say it to Sansa so badly but he kept screwing it up. It needed to be perfect! Not when everyone was around and he felt the need to whisper. And not when his cock was in her mouth or his mouth was on her tits either.

_The kissing. The slow and sweet kissing when everyone’s somewhere else. That’s when you need to tell her, idiot._

_Yeah, but what if she doesn’t say it back?_

_Oh, gods…my heart._

He wasn’t sure he could handle her not saying it back to him. Just thinking about it caused his chest to feel like someone had stuck a knife in without him looking.

There was a knock on his door and he rose to answer it, already dreading Arya coming back to ask more questions or give him more advice about how to eat pussy. He loved her to bits but she seriously underestimated how reluctant he was to discuss those things with her.

“You can come in but no more sex talk!” he declared as he opened the door.

“Okay…”

“Shit. Sorry,” he said as he held the door open for Sansa to walk in. He scratched at his beard as she took a seat on his bed. _My bed. Sansa is on my bed_ …

“Arya’s talking to Gendry,” she said, jerking her chin towards the wall that separated the bedrooms. “She wanted some privacy and I thought maybe we could… _talk_.”

Jon gulped subconsciously. Talking was good. _And scary as fuck!_ “I’d love to talk,” he squeaked.

She grinned at him and he knew his squeak wasn’t lost on her. She looked around the room and said, “I’ve not been in here in a while.”

“Yeah, I know.” He sat down beside her and rubbed his already sweaty palms across his shorts. “Sansa, I…”

“I really like you, Jon,” she said, cutting him off.

He scowled for a second. _Like me? Okay…you like me_. “Uh…I really like you, too.” _I love you. I want to marry you. Nut up! Say it! Not the wedding bells and mother of my_ _children stuff but the other part!_ “Sansa, I more than just like you.” _Coward_.

She grimaced and said, “I know.” _Well, shit. That didn’t sound so good_. “I more than just like you, too.” _Okay! Now, we’re getting somewhere!_ “But, I wouldn’t want either us to wind up hurt.”

“I won’t hurt you, Sansa. I’d never do…”

“Or Arya.”

He sighed. “I don’t want to hurt her either. I don’t think she would be. I think this would take time for her to get used to but…this is ultimately about me and you, right?”

“Right,” she sighed. “I’m sorry. Maybe Arya’s just an excuse. I’m kind of scared to start something with you.”

“Why? Because of Harry?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry if he broke your heart but I’ll do anything I can to mend it.”

“Jon…gods, you’re so sweet.” She blinked and her eyes grew moist. He hoped she wouldn’t cry. He didn’t ever want to make her cry. She leaned forward, kissing his cheek and making his belly do somersaults. “He didn’t really break my heart. He shattered my confidence more than anything. I think I need to take things slow, okay?”

“Of course! I’m not…I’d never push you to do things you’re not ready to do, Sansa. I’ll wait as long as you say for…”

She giggled. “I’m not talking about the physical side of things. I meant here,” she said, pulling his hand up to her heart.

He nodded and leaned in to kiss her. “We can go as slow as you say. I want you to feel safe and regain whatever you feel like you lost with him. I want to make you happy, sweetheart.”

“Sweetheart,” she repeated with a wistful smile. “You do make me happy, Jon.”

They started kissing then, those sweet, loving kisses that Sansa adored. Truthfully, they were his favorites, too.

When they broke apart, they were both panting…and Jon was ready to take his exam, so to speak.

“Do you think I could make you happier?”

“How so?” she asked curiously.

“Can I try something?”

“I’m not on the pill or…”

“No! We’ll wait for that…whenever you say, I’ll be ready.” C _aptain’s Log: Pick up a pack of condoms ASAP!_ “No, this is something I’ve wanted to do for a while now but especially since that night at paintball.”

“Okay…”

“Lemme lock the door,” he said, rising from the bed.

No one was doing bed checks or anything but Arya did have an aversion to knocking. Plus, Jon didn’t want the last thing he ever saw to be Mr. Stark walking through the bedroom door with a sharp weapon in hand to take his head…or his other head.

 

* * *

 

 

Jon turned on some music and returned to the bed. They shushed each other as they began giggling like children while pulling each other’s shirts off in between kisses. She’d finally worked up the nerve to come to his room thanks to Arya’s phone call. She was very glad she had.

Jon fumbled with her bra some but she found it an endearing reminder that he wasn’t an old hand at taking girls’ bras off them. He’d seen her breasts a few times by now but the way his eyes would darken as he lowered his mouth to them always made her tummy flutter in delighted anticipation.

Sansa wondered if Arya might come looking for her if she didn’t show back up tonight. Probably. Regardless, Sansa meant to enjoy her time in Jon’s room and in his arms.

The lights were low and the music was soft and sultry as they laid back on his bed.

_‘How well I remember_

_The look that was in his eyes_

_Stealin' kisses from me on the sly_

_Takin' time to make time_

_Tellin' me that he's all mine_

_Learnin' from each other's knowin'_

_Lookin' to see how much we've grown and_

_The only one who could ever reach me…’_

He lightly suckled her nipples, making them pebble under his tongue, as he rolled on top of her. His cock was hard through his shorts. She palmed him, intending to slip her hand down his waistband but he pushed her hand away and got up on his knees.

“Can I take these off you?” He was tugging at her shorts.

She’d not been completely bare for him yet. She wanted that, skin on skin even if they didn’t have sex tonight. She wanted him to see her, touch her. She wanted to see and touch him, too.

She nodded and felt her skin flush at his wicked grin before she lifted her hips to encourage him.

Once her shorts and panties were gone, he just stared at her. “You’re…gods, you’re beautiful,” he murmured. And he really did make her feel beautiful when he said it.

 _He always makes me feel beautiful._ She felt a slight ache at the realization and took a deep breath. _Slow…not too fast. Be still my heart_.

Jon started kissing his way down from her throat, across her breasts and on down towards her navel. Sansa’s eyes flew open when he kissed her hip. He nudged her legs apart with his nose and started kissing the inside of her thighs and then kissing her mound and nuzzling at the sprinkling of auburn curls there just as he would the hair on her head when they were alone. She tried not to giggle too loudly but it tickled.

“Too much?” he asked, the warmth of his breath across her mound making her shiver in response.

“Just right.”

“Spread your legs, sweetheart. I want to taste you.”

Sansa spread her legs as asked, not expecting anything much. Jon was a novice at this no doubt and Harry’s efforts down there had never been anything to write home about. She’d appreciated it the time or two he’d made the effort but it usually left her squirming…and not in the good way. His hard and fast jack-hammer thumb or tongue to the clit method did absolutely nothing to stimulate her but she’d quickly learned he was completely closed off to the notion of learning her body and what really pleased her. To him, it was a chore he’d tirelessly taken on because he was such a swell guy. The whole thing left her unaroused but feeling guilted into faking an orgasm to stroke his ego.

 _What a shame_ , she thought sadly.

But, Jon wanted to try this and it was sweet considering that they’d not even had sex yet. And then, he put his mouth on her…

“Oh, gods,” she moaned.

“Okay?”

She nodded and he slowly licked her slit. What the fuck?! He should not be any good at this but he was! He starting kissing her, her folds and just everywhere, applying pressure little by little. His hungry eyes were taking in her every reaction. She arched her back in response as he lightly sucked at her clit and then started licking her gently with a steady rhythm…like he was tracing a pattern.

“That okay?” he murmured as he put a finger insider her.

Her mouth hung open as she nodded rapidly in response. “Jon…don’t stop.”

“Another?”

“Yes.”

She heard his chuckle as he continued. She felt his chuckle. _Oh, fuck me_.

In and out with his fingers and his tongue was never still. And once she started to cum, he didn’t let up. He grasped her hips and held her steady. It felt like his entire face was part of the act and she was loving every second of it. When she could manage to open her eyes, she’d always find his glued to her face or her tits, watching…learning.

Once she’d shuddered through her final spasm, she released his hair that she’d been clutching for dear life.

“Sorry,” she snickered with a sheepish expression. “I hope I left a few.”

“You can scalp me if you’ll let me do that to you again,” he said, wiping off his mouth.

_Take away those lovely curls? Oh, no. Never._

He climbed back up her body and laid on top of her again. He no longer felt hard and his boxers were damp now. He’d came, too. He’d came giving _her_ oral. Sure, he was a young and new to this and might lack the control a more experienced man had but for some reason, that made her feel even more cherished.

“You didn’t fake that, did you?” he asked in a satisfied tone.

“No. There was no faking. That was…gods.” She hesitated to ask but couldn’t help herself. “Have you done that before?”

“No, sweetheart. Just to you.” _Wow_. “Did I do okay?”

“Way more than okay.”

“I did something right the first time.” He was adorably pleased with himself. He should be.

“Yeah…Jon, you did something amazingly right.” _You made me feel loved._

She opened her arms and pulled him closer. This might fade away like summer nights or it might be the start of something magical. Either way, she meant to give it a chance. She was going to give them a chance.

He nestled into her arms and gave her a languid kiss while caressing one of her breasts. “I wish you could sleep here with me.”

“I wish I could, too.”

It would be so sweet to be held by him all night. She could of course. They were both adults but there was no need to rush this. They could fall into this slowly perhaps. _And prepare the family a bit._

“Sansa, I want to do this right with you. Tomorrow night, I want to take you out. I get off work earlier than Arya. Could you meet me somewhere? Just us?”

A date. He wanted to take her out on a date, just the two of them. She wanted that very much. She wanted to sing about it…but for now, they would still be each other’s little secret.

“I’d love that.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a Cosmo article by that title. 
> 
> So they talked but maybe didn't cover everything...we'll see how that goes when they encounter some outside interference. But date night will come first :)
> 
> Lyrics from 'Shape of You' by Ed Sheeran and 'Son of a Preacher Man' by Dusty Springfield.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay on the update with this one. I was blocked for a good while and then determined to finish something else before posting this. But sweetness follows and I hope you'll enjoy!

 

_‘Another Saturday night_

_And I ain’t got nobody_

_I got some money ‘cause I just got paid_

_Now, how I wish I had someone to talk to I’m in an awful way…’_  

Jon hummed along to the piped in music as he pushed a broom up and down the sticky aisles of Theater #2. Despite the lonely guy lyrics, he was practically dancing with his broom like something out of an old movie. Thank the gods, the theater was empty.  Would he normally dance with a broom...or at all?  _NO!_   But tonight was special.  Tonight, he was taking Sansa out.

“Hey, Fred. Where’s Ginger?”

He paused mid-twirl to find that Arya had come to help him.

 _My Ginger’s coming to meet me later_ , he nearly said back but instead he just rolled his eyes, embarrassed at being caught.

“Ugh…this place is disgusting,” Arya huffed.

“Yeah, kiddie movies. Lots of soda and popcorn on the floor.”

“And gummy worms. Damn kids.”

“Hey, Arya. Do you have Bran’s number?”

“Bran?”

“You know, you’re younger brother; tall kid, brainy.” Arya shot him a look and Jon decided to check the smart-ass responses at the door. “I don’t have his number in my contacts and I wanted to ask him something.”

“Now? Why do you wanna talk to him now? He’ll still be up when you get home.”

“I just do, okay?” She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him the stare down. “I’ve got an, uh… astronomy question.”

“Astronomy? Since when do you care about astronomy?”

“Since always! I’ve always been fascinated by the, uh…please, Arya? I’ve got a date tonight, alright? And, I had an idea of something we could do but wanted to check with Bran first.”

“A date? You’ve got a date here at Long Lake?”

He nodded and took a deep breath. Of course, she’d be surprised. He’d been here a couple of weeks and had never been known as a guy to move quickly when it came to girls. He doubted there was anyone in town he knew other than the Starks, some of the local shopkeepers and the people who worked at the theater with them.

He didn’t want to lie to his best friend anymore. If she asked, he would tell her.

But Arya didn’t ask. She had pity on him and gave him the number without any further questions.

 

* * *

 

 

It was half past seven and Jon was supposed to be off at eight. Sansa brushed out her hair and twisted part of it up in a loose bun, allowing a few tendrils to frame her face.

She glided to the closet and stared at the dresses hanging there with a smile on her face. After a short debate, she pulled out a soft blue one with cap sleeves and a fluttery skirt that came down to her knees. It was romantic and perhaps a bit dressy for whatever Jon had planned but she wanted to wear it all the same. She didn’t think Jon would mind. She’d borrowed a gold chain of her mother’s and put the dragonfly pendant on it to wear as well. She definitely didn’t think he’d mind her wearing that.

“Oh, Sansa, that’s beautiful. Where’d you get it?” Her mother was in the doorway of her bedroom with an armload of towels.

“Jon brought it back from Dorne. He thought I might like it,” she said, keenly self-conscious now.

Her mother came closer to get a better look at it. “Sansa…that’s quite a special gift.” Her eyes were soft but questioning as she touched the pendant, sliding a finger across one of the jade wings.

Sansa spun around as if she needed to fix her hair again. She wiped her suddenly sweaty palms on her dress. Her mother knew about Jon’s crush. She was the one who’d pointed it out to her in the first place. And her mother would know the pendant would’ve cost him a lot of money. Did her Mother think she’d led Jon on for a pretty piece of jewelry?

“Do you think I shouldn’t have accepted it?” she asked the floor at her feet. She heard her mother set the towels down on her bed and turned to face her again.

“No, darling. Jon brought all of us back gifts from Dorne. He’s like family to us. It’s just that this gift is…”

“Much more than a t-shirt or postcard.”

“Yes. I think it says a lot that he wanted to get you something extra special.”

“It was very generous of him.”

“I’m sure he’d say you’re worth it.”

She flushed and carefully considered what she wanted to say. “He’s…he’s always been Arya’s friend. He’ll always be Arya’s friend. I wouldn’t want to come between that.”

“I know that. But, Sansa…is it possible that there’s something other than friendship between the two of you?”

Of course, she’d know something was going on. Her mother wasn’t easily fooled.

She clasped the pendant and forced herself to meet her mother’s eye. “I think maybe…yes.”

Her mother hummed under her breath and looked as though she might say something else. Instead, she gently brushed a loose tendril of Sansa’s hair back. “Alright, darling. I hope you have a good night.”

“Thanks, Mom,” she said, pressing a quick kiss to her mother’s cheek, very grateful to not have to answer any probing questions just yet.

She drove to the theater parking lot and waited outside as they’d agreed. Jon sent a text saying he’d be out shortly.

She checked her lipstick in the rearview mirror and became irrationally giddy the moment he set foot outside. His dark curls were shining under the theater’s glittery lights. He’d chucked his usher’s jacket and was wearing a white button-down with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms and the two top buttons left undone. His whole face split into an irresistible grin when he spied her getting out of her car. The effect was rather devastating.

_To my heart…and my underwear._

When he reached her, he gave her a kiss that left her weak in the knees. “Gods, you look amazing. Your hair…your dress…it’s beautiful.”

“Oh, this old thing?” she asked teasingly though her heart went pitter-patter all the same.

His eyes widened when he spotted her pendant. “You wore it.” He gently fingered the dragonfly’s wing and his smile softened into something so loving and sweet it made her teeth ache.

 _Be still, my heart._ “I did. I love it.” _And I think I love you, too._

He was staring at her and she could tell he wanted to say something else. Maybe she wanted to say something, too. But, she was nervous. Despite the things they’d done together, it was their first real date and the night was just beginning.

“Who’s driving?” she prompted.

It took him several beats to answer. He was still staring at her dress and pendant and just all of her. Sansa had been stared at by boys and even men for many years now and yet it never affected her quite this way. How was it Jon managed to make her feel like the most beautiful woman in existence when he stared?

He gave himself a little shake when her question must’ve finally registered in his brain. It only served to make her heart pound harder as he took her hand and answered, “I am.”

 

* * *

 

 

In addition to the lake itself, Long Lake was primarily a camping and resort area. There was a sports field, a park, the paintball place and plenty of hiking trails and water activities but it didn’t boast much in the way of activities that didn’t include the great outdoors. The little movie theater, a bowling alley, a few shops and a handful of restaurants were the extent of its indoor recreational offerings.

With Bran’s help, Jon had something planned that he thought might please Sansa’s romantic sensibilities. But first, there was his growly stomach to feed.

Hobb’s Diner was right next door to Hobb’s Bait & Tackle and Mr. Stark had taken Jon there along with Arya and the boys several times over the years when they were picking up fishing supplies since he enjoyed having a greasy cheeseburger once in a while (in other words, as much as possible) whenever Mrs. Stark wasn’t there to mention his cholesterol.

However, Sansa didn’t go along with them to the bait & tackle shop as she didn’t fish so she’d never been here either.

It wasn’t anything special but the diner had a certain pleasing aesthetic of times gone by and this was the first time he’d been there at night. The lakeside hamlet was pretty quiet most nights by nine and the diner was empty with the lights turned down low when they entered. Old Three-Fingered Hobb was scraping down the grill with his back to them and the lone waitress was sitting at the end of the counter reading a book with headphones on.

“Hey, Hobb. You closing up?”

“Hey, Jon,” Hobb said as he turned. “Nah, we’re open. Just a…slow…night.” Hobb’s mouth fell open as he saw Sansa. Jon cleared his throat. “Um…where’s Arya?”

“She’s working tonight.” Hobb was still staring a bit more than Jon liked at Sansa. He was harmless enough but if he wanted to keep the rest of his fingers, he needed to stop staring. “This is Arya’s sister Sansa, Hobb.”

“Oh…nice to meet you, miss. If you kids are hungry, just grab a booth.”

Sansa smiled and turned towards an empty booth. Jon flushed when Hobb gave him a toothy grin and a big thumbs-up.

They took a seat across from each other as Hobb got the attention of his waitress. Jon took a menu to look at since she did but he already knew what he wanted. He kept stealing glances at her.

“What’s good here?” she asked with an adorable grin when she caught him.

“I like the burgers but the chicken sandwich is…”

“Jon? Jon Snow?” Jon looked up to see the waitress had arrived. He was surprised when he realized he knew her.

“Alys?”

“Yes! I wasn’t sure if you’d remember me,” she blushed.

“Why wouldn’t I remember you? We graduated together. What are you doing here?”

“I’m visiting my aunt for the summer. She lives here and I got a part-time job.”

“That’s great. I’m staying with the Starks. This is Sansa, Arya’s sister. Sansa, this is Alys Karstark.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Alys.”

“Oh! It’s nice to meet you as well. Wait…I remember you. Weren’t you Prom Queen one year?"

“Yes, I was.”

Jon subconsciously scowled at the memory. Loras Tyrell had been popular, charming and a star athlete. Arya had claimed him and Sansa had just gone to prom as friends but they’d definitely looked like a queen and king standing next to each other when they were crowned. He was glad that guy had moved.

“Goodness. What was that…three, four years ago?”

“Uh, two.”

“Right. Is Arya joining you guys?”

“No, she’s working,” Jon replied.

Alys's head tilted slightly to the side as she gave them an appraising look kind of like Hobb had but there was a different vibe to it.

“It’s sweet that you two are keeping each other company when Arya’s busy. I guess he’s like another little brother to you, isn’t he, Sansa?” Jon opened his mouth wanting to correct her but also not sure what Sansa would be comfortable with him saying. Before him or Sansa could say anything though, Alys turned back towards him. “I heard you’re going to Castle Black in the fall, Jon.”

“I am.”

“Me, too! I’m so excited but it’ll be kind of lonely up there till I make some new friends. I could give you my number and we could get together. It’d be nice to have someone from home to hook up with,” she said with big, round eyes.

If his mouth wasn’t already open, it would’ve been hanging open now. _Did she mean hook up as in hang out or hook up as in…_

Beyond a nodding acquaintance, he had zero interest in Alys. Even if they ran into each other at Castle Black, there’d be no hooking up of any variety happening.

Jon nodded vaguely, trying to think of a polite way to brush her off, and then glanced at Sansa. Her eyes had narrowed. She quietly huffed and laid down her menu. That was it. Nothing obvious or rude but even a novice like Jon could read the signs.

“Yeah, Alys…maybe I’ll see you around campus but I’m famished right now. Are you ready to order, sweetheart?” he asked Sansa.

If she’d been flirting or hinting at something, Alys appeared to get the message. She bobbed her head and took their order.

Sansa smiled once she left but didn’t say anything else about the encounter. Jon wasn’t sure if he should address the elephant in the room or not. He was here with her. She was the only woman he had eyes for. He hoped Sansa knew that.

_Wouldn’t hurt to show her._

“Hang on a sec.”

Jon strolled over to Hobb’s old jukebox and selected a few songs to play. They were all oldies but they were all ones he’d noted that Sansa liked.

“I thought this place could use a little romantic ambiance to set the mood for tonight,” he said when he sat back down.

Her beautiful blue eyes softened and she blushed as the music began to play.

_‘I've got sunshine on a cloudy day_

_When it's cold outside_

_I've got the month of May_

_Well I guess you'd say_

_What can make me feel this way?_

_My girl (my girl, my girl)_

_Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)…’_

He took her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. He was rewarded with a heart-stopping smile and she let him keep holding her hand.

“This is lovely, Jon.”

“So are you.”

They were still holding hands when Alys brought their burgers and shakes.

 

* * *

 

 

_“Lover’s Leap will be jam packed for tonight’s event but Giant Rock should give you an excellent view and be less crowded.”_

_“Thanks, Bran.”_

_“No problem. I hope you and Sansa have fun.”_

_“Me an-what?! Wha-wa-why would Sansa have anything to do with my plans to, uh…see the, um…”_

_“Are you going to insult my intelligence, Jon?”_

_“Uh, no.”_

Jon loved Bran like a little brother but he was frighteningly clairvoyant at times.

He pulled into the gravel parking lot that led to Giant Rock. As predicted, it was not very crowded. In fact, the only other car there was twenty feet away. Judging by the fogged up windows and subtle rocking, Jon didn’t think they’d come to watch the meteor shower. It only served to make him more nervous. He hadn’t brought her here for that. He’d brought her here for something else and now he felt like a kid.

_Sweaty palms?  Check._

_Stomach in knots?  Check._

He turned to ask again. “Are you sure this is okay?”

“I’m sure,” she said with a huge smile. “This is an absolutely wonderful idea.”

He sighed with relief. He’d started doubting his plan on the drive, wondering if it was too lame for a woman like Sansa.

He pulled a blanket, a jacket and flashlight out of the back and they walked hand in hand the short distance to the overlook.

“Were you a Wolf Scout, Jon Snow?” she teased at his preparedness.

“Sure was. Weren’t you?”

“I may have sold a few boxes of cookies and sang a few campfire songs.”

“Well, you know how important it is to plan ahead then.”

Giant Rock supposedly looked a bit like a giant but in the dark, it was just a huge ass rock perched above a little valley. There were plenty of other rocks around though and they soon found an accommodating one to sit on.

He laid the blanket down and they talked for a while until the night sky began its presentation. Sansa leaned against him and he wrapped an arm around her. Her upper arm felt cold and he offered the jacket he’d brought. Her eyes reminding him of silvery blue waters in the moonlight when she accepted it.

“Wolf Scout,” he reminded her as he helped her put it on.

“You’re something else, Jon Snow.”

“So are you, Sansa Stark. Not bad for a first date?”

“The complete opposite of bad.”

“Good. It’s not done.” He grabbed his phone out of his pocket and set it on their rock before helping her to her feet. “Apologies in advance if I step on your toes. I’m a terrible dancer but I think I can manage a slow dance.”

He pulled her into his arms, relishing her sweet scent and the softness of her curves as they began to sway.

_‘Deep in the dark your kiss will thrill me like days of old_

_Lighting the spark of love that fills me with dreams untold_

_Each day I pray for evening just to be with you_

_Together at last at twilight time’_

Her head was on his shoulder and, even though his stomach was churning with nerves in a way, he’d never been happier.

“Sansa?”

“Yes,” she sighed as the song ended and the next one began.

“I know you said to go slow and I respect that. You don’t have to say it back but I want to say this. I need to say it.” He drew a deep breath to steady his nerves. “I love you.”

She lifted her head to look at him, an enchanting smile playing at the corners of her lips. She didn’t hesitate when she replied, “I love you, too.”

He blinked. He’d honestly not known if she’d say it back. It felt like a hot air balloon had taken the place of his heart in his chest and he wondered if his feet were still on the ground.

He tipped her chin up and lowered his lips to meet hers.

_‘They told me "Be sensible with your new love"_

_"Don't be fooled, thinking this is the last you'll find"_

_But they never stood in the dark with you, love_

_When you take me in your arms_

_And drive me slowly out of my mind…’_

Searing but sweet, a tender sort of ache filled him body and soul as he kissed his girl and danced with her under the stars…until his phone battery died.

“I swear I charged it! It was at 100% less than an…”

“It’s okay, Wolf Scout,” she laughed. “Even the best laid plans…”

The meteor shower was over anyway so he gathered the blanket and flashlight. He didn’t want their date to end but he didn’t want to keep her out here all night either.

“So, I guess we should head back?”

“To your car,” she said with a curious little smirk.

“Well, yeah. I need to drive us back to the theater so we can drive home.”

“Jon, it’s not like I have a curfew.”

“Me either,” he snickered as they walked down the trail. “I could take you to a movie or we could go bowling or…”

“Or we could have sex.”

His jaw dropped and he whipped his head around to look at her, hoping he wasn’t hallucinating. He promptly tripped on a root and fell flat on his face.

“Ow,” he said tonelessly as his brain was still short-circuiting over what Sansa had said.

“Jon! Are you okay?!” She helped him back to his feet and was busy brushing off his clothes.

“You just offered sex…with me. I am definitely more than okay.” Then, he smacked his head…or would have if he hadn’t just fallen face first. He wanted to whine like a little kid who was told he couldn’t have a slice of name day cake. “Sansa…I’d love that more than anything but I didn’t bring a condom with me.”

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and whispered in his ear, “I guess it’s a good thing you’re not the only Wolf Scout around here who knows the importance of planning ahead then.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a cliffhanger...before they bang. A bang-hanger if you will.
> 
> Song lyrics from- 
> 
> 'Another Saturday Night' by Sam Cooke  
> 'My Girl' by The Temptations  
> 'Twlight Time' by The Platters  
> 'Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me' by Mel Carter


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Big Bang and a confession.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cherry popping time. I want to write believable first times so I hope I managed that here complete with the sticky, fumbling, awkward sweetness (with maybe a dash of hotness) *fingers crossed*

 

The thing about sex in the backseat of a car…there’s not a whole lot of room to work with unless you drive a tank or own a van.

Jon’s car was not a tank or a van. A narrow back seat, not much leg room and a plethora of limbs that all had to go somewhere.

_But where there’s a will…_

Once they’d reached his car again, they’d tumbled into the backseat, kicked off their shoes and been keen to get it on.

Sansa laid down, her long legs spread on either side of him and her knees bent. Her feet were braced against the window and arm rest behind him and her head was resting on the other. He quickly laid down on top of her, his knees scrunched up awkwardly between her thighs.

They were still dressed and he knew getting completely naked here might not be ideal but he was hot in his shirt. With a little maneuvering, he managed to get it off at least. She’d worn a dress, a clear tactical advantage. Anything with a skirt would definitely make future romps in the backseat much easier. Too bad he wasn’t into kilts.

_If I place my knee here and she moves her arm like so…_

_Are we playing Twister? Stratego? Or are we getting ready to fuck?_

Before Jon got too caught up in his opening salvos and troop positioning, Sansa said softly in his ear, “It’s your first time, Jon. Don’t put pressure on yourself. Let it happen, alright?”

“Right,” he huffed and barked out a nervous laugh.

She was right. It was his first time and they were in the backseat of his car in the gravel parking lot at Giant Rock. His cock was already as hard as that old rock out there in anticipation. Seeing as how he’d came with lightning speed the first time she’d touched it and about as fast the first time he’d ate her out, his logical mind doubted he would be lasting very long once he finally sank into Sansa’s hot, wet cunt.

On the flip side though, this act also needed to be the most perfectly executed expression of physical love to ever occur in human history. And, she should cum at least three times.

_Aiming a bit high?_

_Nah._

“Sansa…I’m not sure how I want to…”

“Just kiss me, Jon.”

“Right.” His girl was so clever. Kissing was always the best place to start.

The kisses started chastely as they peppered each other with pecks and busses on lips and cheeks, foreheads and eyelids. He wanted to give her sweetness, knowing how she loved that. He loved it, too.

But they grew in passion and intensity around the time Jon got to her earlobe. Sansa loved him nuzzling at her ears and the open-mouthed kisses he’d apply to her pulse point while he was doing so. She started to squirm under him, a very enticing brand of squirming with all sorts of lovely pressure down there.

_I am NOT cumming in my pants!_

He drew his hips back just enough as his mouth moved down to her neck. He felt a thrill of smug pleasure when she whined at the loss of contact there.

He felt her fingers twisting through his hair. Gods, that drove him wild…the tugging sensation, the slight scrape of her nails, the way she seemed to get aroused by it, too.

“Fuck…”

He ran his hands up her smooth thighs and tugged at her panties. They were silky. He wondered what color they were. She lifted her hips and through a slight act of contortion he managed to get them off. They were black and a tad damp. That called for some investigation.

He traced her folds and watched her eyes roll back as she rolled her hips. She was wet, wet for him and they’d done nothing more than kiss with him on top of her. He still couldn’t get over that. He was sorely tempted to unzip his pants and just plunge inside of her.

_NO! We’re not going for the land-speed record of how fast can Jon cum tonight!_

He’d restrain himself and do his best to get her off at least once before he entered her.

The windows were fogging up and it was humid in the car. Sweat was already beading on his brow. Sansa’s face had a lovely sheen. Her cheeks were flushed pink.

Her dress was so pretty. It also had the loveliest feature…buttons. One by one he unfastened the front of her dress one-handed while the other hand teased her, all while they continued kissing and she continued playing with his hair.

But, she grew impatient at last and let go of his hair. Like some kind of escape artist, she unfastened her bra and shoved it out of the way, baring her chest, in seconds flat.

Her pupils were blown wide and she was breathing heavily as he lowered his mouth to one pink nipple. His fingers went from teasing and tracing her folds to entering her, pumping slowly in and out. Once his fingers were thoroughly wet, he began rubbing her clit.

“Gods…Jon…” she moaned as he suckled her tits. She started riding his hand, desperate to find her release.

If Ned Stark magically appeared in this car next to them tonight and snicked his head off with some equally magical sword, Jon would’ve argued that this alone would be worth it as he listened to her whimpers while he licked the salty sweetness of her skin and frigged her silly.

Her hips halted their frantic movements under his ministrations and he felt her squeezing him. He watched her eyes become unfocused, her face resplendent in her rapture as she came. Nothing could be more radiant than his girl like this.

Her eyes found his again and she gave him a grin that reminded him of a contented cat. Step one was a success at least.

He lazily licked her juices off his fingers. She watched him, licking her lips hungrily in response. He kissed her again.

“Can I fu-…can I make love to you, Sansa?” he asked huskily, pleased that his voice didn’t crack from excitement.

She nodded. “Gods, yes. Sit up.” He did as she said and she started unbuckling his belt and unzipping his pants. “Lift up,” she ordered next and soon his pants were down around his ankles as his knees were pressed against the back of the front seats. “This alright?” she asked when she straddled him.

 _Everything is alright,_ he wanted to say.

“Uh _huuuh_.” His voice was embarrassingly shrill on that second syllable so he resorted to nodding like a bobble-head doll that’d been shaken by an enthusiastic five-year-old.

He could feel the heat of her cunt against his cock. It was intoxicating. She reached into the front seat and withdrew the promised condom from her purse. She handed it to him and then started sucking on his neck and running her fingers back through his curls. He felt dizzy. His heart was pounding.

_I’m going to fuck Sansa. I’m going to have sex with the woman I love. I’m going to make love to the girl I want to marry someday. I’m…_

“Motherfucker, what’s wrong with this thing?!” he whined as he continued to fumble with the condom package.

She laughed and plucked it from his hands, opening it with ease before she rolled it down his cock. She moved back over him and he rubbed the tip against her wetness, centering himself.

Before she lowered herself though, he touched her face. “I love you.”

“I love you,” she said back as she eased her way down.

The tightness enfolding him as she slowly took him in was unbelievable. It felt so good, it was almost too much. She made the most delicious sounding gasp when he was fully inside her. He was almost afraid to move.

“Put your hands on me, Jon.”

He’d been gripping the seat in his nervousness. But he wasn’t going to sit here passively. He put his hands on her waist and she began to move. He bucked up into her and heard another little gasp. The sensation was unreal. His hands slid from her waist ‘round to cup her ass. He was torn between watching her face, staring at her tits as they bounced with their movements and watching his cock disappear inside Sansa with the rise and fall of her hips.

It was a bit overwhelming.

Okay…it was a lot overwhelming and soon his movements went from lazy testing to a frantic pace.

It was hard to find the right rhythm pressed against the car seat while trying to be mindful of Sansa’s head banging against the car’s roof. But it was so fucking good.

His hips started bucking wildly. His eyes closed. Blood was thrumming through him in anticipation of his orgasm. Sansa was making breathy little mewls as she rode him.

“Sansa…” he panted on the verge of panic. His mouth was dry and his balls were already tightening up.

“ _Shhh_ , baby. Just cum,” she purred in his ear.

“ _Oh-ohhhh-kaaaay_ ,” he stuttered as he did just that.

If he’d been facing a mirror at that moment, he probably would’ve cringed at his face. Mouth agape, starry-eyed and sporting something between a grimace and a grin, he grunted like some animal as he felt his balls empty inside the condom.

But he was unaware of anything except the foggy sense of how good it all felt and how happy he was that he’d managed it. He’d had sex. He’d lost his cherry. He’d fucked a girl for the first time. And not just any girl…Sansa!

It took a minute or so of inhaling Sansa’s sweet scent as he tried to catch his breath for self-awareness to return. His cock was soft now and slipping out of her. His legs were still scrunched up and his pants were still around his ankles. She was glowing, looking like some celestial being and he was a sweaty, panting mess.

_She didn’t cum. First time out the gate and you’re already a failure._

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“That was over really fast and I didn’t make you…you didn’t get to…” he said shakily.

“Jon…” She cupped his face so sweetly and her eyes were big and blue. He was such a goner for this girl and he’d totally failed at making it amazing for her. “That was your first time. Don’t be so hard on yourself. And I did cum earlier, thank you very much. Did you enjoy it?”

“I did,” he nodded, relief flooding him at the way she was smiling. His girl never made him feel bad for his lack of experience. “It was really, really… _really_ good.”

“I’m glad. It’ll get better for us both.”

“I’ll get better at it.  I'll make it better for you next time, I promise…if you’ll let me.”

“Oh, there’ll be a next time and I know you will.”

“So…how soon can there be a next time?”

She laughed and kissed him. “Soon, my love. Soon.”

 

* * *

 

 

Arya stumbled down the stairs, still half-asleep from her late night, and could hear Sansa singing softly in the kitchen. Her sister could be offensively chipper some mornings.

Dad had taken Rickon and Bran fishing earlier and mentioned needing bait. _And will be stopping by Hobb’s for lunch on the way back, no doubt_. Her mom had gone to the local market to get some fresh vegetables for dinner to compensate for her husband’s lunchtime excesses. _Poor Dad thinks he’s so slick._ No one had the heart to tell him.

She looked outside and saw Jon was out on the back deck checking the chemicals in the hot tub. Ever since he’d been a kid, Jon had always been willing to pitch in around the Stark household whether they were back at Winterfell or here at the lake. He was constantly busy taking care of things for his mom, too. Her dad said it showed gumption, stick-to-it-tiveness and a solid work ethic…all those things dads liked to rave about.

He was in his trunks and a tee with his hair pulled back this morning. It was hot out already. Based on Sansa’s singing, Arya suspected things were a-okay between them but she wanted to check on her friend. She’d already been asleep when they’d got home even though she’d worked later than Jon.

But Arya was also fond of having a little fun with him, too. She was a stealthy thing and she enjoyed scaring the crap out of Jon on occasion. _Quiet as a shadow. Quick as a_ _snake_. It paid off at paintball and growing up in a house with three…well, practically four brothers.

He was humming some oldie under his breath, the same one Sansa had been singing.

Sidling up behind him, she waited till he straightened again and pounced, covering his eyes with her hands and shouting, “How was the date, Romeo?!”

“ _Ayyyy-eee_ had sex!” he blurted out. She let go of him like he’d just shouted he had scabies. “Fuck!” He was clutching at his chest as he turned to face her. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack, Arya?”

Arya chewed at her lip. She wasn’t sure what to say. She’d not exactly been aiming for a confession, especially if he wasn’t willing to give one. And she certainly hadn’t expected him to drop that bombshell.

“Uh…sorry, Jon. I’ll let you…”

“No! Don’t go. Fuck,” he sighed again. “I need to talk to you.”

He took her by the hand and they walked over to the shaded patio area. He rubbed at the back of his neck and was clearly psyching himself up for this. She was dying to shout ‘I know!’ and put him out of his misery but she was also curious to hear what he’d say.

“Arya, I’m a shit friend.”

“What?!” This was definitely not what she wanted to hear.

“I’m…I’m in love.”

“Okay. How does that make you a shit friend?”

“I’ve been hiding something from you.”

“Jon…”

“I’m in love with Sansa.”

He said it in a great gush like he was making a death bed confession. _Rosebud_.

She smiled. He’d told her at last. Her ‘I knew it!’ kind of died in her throat though. He looked so scared, so concerned about what she might think or say.

“I’ve been in love with your sister for ages. I never said anything because I never imagined she might feel that way about me. But, we’ve been fooling around all month and…well, I found out last night that she’s in love with me, too. Gods, I hope you’re not mad or…”

She didn’t let him finish. She jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly.

“You’re not mad?” he chuckled.

“Why would I be mad when two of my favorite people are in love with each other? Are you planning on hurting her?”

“Of course not!” She hugged him again and was pleased when he hugged her back. “You’re really okay with this? I mean, I’m sure this is probably a huge shock and…”

“Oh, Jon…you dear, sweet idiot…this is not even remotely a surprise.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a short chapter because it felt like the focus should be mostly on Jon and the confession was a good place to end it but we'll be getting Sansa's POV next chapter and Jon will get "better at it" before a little angst creeps in.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rickon is a mighty fisherman. Sansa and Arya talk. Jon hosts a sleepover in his room. Very little sleeping is planned.

 

It had been a good morning on the lake. Rickon had caught the biggest fish and Dad said they’d grill their catch for dinner tonight.

“The Stark men providing dinner. Won’t that surprise your mother?”

Rickon liked the sound of that. _Rickon Stark, Mighty Fisherman and a Man of House Stark_.

“Hey, Ned! Hey, boys!” Hobb called out as they took three seats at the busy counter.

Dad was already smacking his lips in anticipation of his burger and Rickon thought he might expand his horizon beyond his usual grilled cheese.

_Big burger like Dad? Turkey leg? The Lasagna Special?_

Dad spied Mr. Umber sitting at one of the booths and went to talk to him.

The waitress came up, the new one who’d been here this summer for the first time, and distractedly handed them their plastic menus. Well, she handed Bran a plastic menu. She handed Rickon a paper kid’s menu…and a crayon.

“I’m twelve,” he said with a disdainful glance at the crayon.

“Uh huh,” the waitress said. “Did you want a different color, sweetie?”

Bran started laughing.

“Shut up! Who caught the biggest fish, huh?”

Bran stopped laughing then and said with a sour look, “It was a lucky catch today. Not as big as the one Arya caught the other day.”

“Oh! Are you Arya Stark’s brothers?” the waitress asked.  They had her full attention now.

Rickon never knew if being identified as Arya’s brother would be a good or bad thing. When teachers said it, it often spelled trouble. Not that Arya was a bad student exactly but her teachers often expected Sansa 2.0 when they got the younger Stark girl. Which was stupid because how could they expect any improvement on Sansa the Perfect Student? Expectations can be a bad thing and sometimes little brothers wind up paying the price.

And when other kids or grown-ups said it…well, it could still be trouble.

“Yes,” Bran replied cautiously.

“I’m Alys! I went to school with Arya. We’re really great friends!” she gushed.

“That’s funny. I never heard of you before.”

“Rickon!”

“Well, I haven’t!”

Bran rolled his eyes and said, “I’ll have the cheeseburger and so will my dad. I’m hitting the head, Rickon.”

“Okay.”

The waitress was smiling at him really big and blinking a lot. Was there something wrong with her eyes? Maybe she couldn’t help it and he shouldn’t say anything. He’d been told he had a problem with blurting things out.

“So, Rickon…I like that name,” Alys said, taking a seat next to him. “I guess you know Jon Snow then.”

“Of course, I do. He’s like a brother to me.”

“I guess all of you see Jon that way.”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Even your older brother and sister?”

“Robb and Sansa? Sure, they do.”

“But your sister Sansa…she’s really pretty.”

What did that have to do with anything? This girl was obviously a bit dim. Rickon might think Sansa was one of the prettiest girls he’d ever seen but that would be gross for a little brother to say out loud. So, he just nodded at Alys instead.

“I’ll bet lots of boys like her.”

“I guess,” Rickon shrugged. Most of them were jerks though. Why were they talking about this? Rickon started coloring in the fish on the coloring sheet.

“Where does Sansa go to college?”

“Winterfell U.” _If you’re such buds with Arya, you could just ask her._

“Oh? Well, she’s close to home, isn’t she?”

“Yeah.” Rickon was really glad of that. He wouldn’t be all cheesy and say it but he was.

“Did you know Jon and I are both going to Castle Black this fall?”

“Uh, no.” _I didn’t even know your name till a second ago_.

“You know, Rickon…I lost my old phone and all my contacts. I seem to have lost Jon’s number, too. Would you happen to have it?”

He was twelve. He had his parents’ numbers, Sansa’s and a few of his pals from school. And he only had his mom’s number memorized.

“I don’t have it. Sorry.”

Alys looked disappointed for a second but then got another idea. “That’s okay. Maybe you could do me a favor though?”

“What kind of favor?” Rickon asked suspiciously.

But it really wasn’t a big deal at all. He shoved her number into his pocket. He kind of hated to tell her how likely he was to forget it was there.

But later, when Alys brought him a huge complimentary chocolate milkshake with extra whipped cream and told Dad it was because he’d made the catch of the day, Rickon told himself he’d do his best to remember to pass the number along to Jon…eventually.

 

* * *

 

 

“I’m sorry, okay? Gods, I’m the worst sister ever!”

And she felt like it, too. One minute, she’d been making sure Arya was okay with her and Jon in the privacy of their bedroom after dinner and the next, Arya was crying. Sansa couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen Arya cry. She’d probably been the cause then too though and that just made her more miserable.

_“I didn’t come here expecting anything to happen between me and Jon but it did. Okay…I’ll admit I started it but I had no idea we’d be at this point and I didn’t want you to think I was trying to steal your best friend away. I know this is your last summer together before college. It’s a special time.”_

_“I told you I’m okay with it. Leave it to you to make it all sappy.”_

_“Well, it is special, Arya! You won’t be together all the time anymore. You and Jon have been like peanut butter and jelly since you were six years old. How’s it going to be come September when you can’t just see each other whenever you like? I know a lot of days he’s the first person who isn’t a relative that you talk to in the morning and the last one you talk to at night. But soon, it’ll just be texting and occasional phone calls until the semester break. And you’ll both be busy, adapting to college life and making new friends and…oh, gods! Are you crying?”_

Thus, the waterworks had ensued and Sansa had spent five very awkward minutes trying to console her sister who was growing up and worried about losing her best friend.

“You’re not the worst sister ever,” Arya huffed as she wiped her eyes.

“I am sorry for making you sad. I wasn’t aiming for that at all. You’re never going to lose him. You’re both really great friends and lucky to have each other. I’m probably just letting my own bitter experiences cloud my outlook.”

“What bitter experiences? You never really said what happened with him. I’d like to help…if you’ll let me.”

Arya’s eyes were imploring and Sansa felt bad for not opening up more with her. They should do more of that. Sansa sighed and sat down beside her on the twin bed. She’d told her mom some but still kept a lot of it bottled up. As long as she was going to be open and honest with Arya about her and Jon’s relationship, she might as well share some other things.

 

* * *

 

 

Sansa had some insecurities, a lot of insecurities. And Arya got it, she really did. If she’d had a douchebag boyfriend cheating on her behind her back with a girl she’d considered a friend, Arya would probably have some insecurities, too. _And potentially a criminal record_.

She was clearly in love with Jon though and Arya knew he was a complete goner for her. However, the age difference and impending separation were worrying her more than she wanted to admit.

“Remember three years ago when I was seeing Waymar up here?” Sansa asked as they were lying side by side on Arya’s bed.

“Gods, do I ever. You were so insufferable talking about him all the time. Jon was a complete mope once he found out…not that he admitted why he was a complete mope.”

“Poor Jon. I didn’t think that much about him then. He was just fifteen and…”

“I know. I’m not blaming you. And you and Waymar were clearly just a summer romance. Jon perked back up when we were home again.”

“Yes, a summer romance. It was a few dates and some kissing, nothing more. He was getting ready to start college and we both agreed it’d be over when we went back home.”

“Things with you and Jon are more serious than that though, right?”

“A lot more. I love him, Arya.”

Arya knew it. Jon had said they were in love earlier but it was good to hear it from Sansa. “I’m glad. I’m not ordinarily what you’d call an optimist…”

“No!” Sansa gasped with mock surprise.

“Fuck you. But…I will say I think it’ll be okay, Sans.”

“But trying to keep a long distance relationship going as college students? What are our chances?”

“Crazier things have been known to work out. And it’s not that far away.”

“It’s nearly five hours.”

“And there are weekends and breaks. You’ll be physically closer to him than I will. I guess the question is, are you willing to try for him?”

“I am. I just don’t want him to feel pinned down if he gets to college and suddenly there’s all these pretty co-eds his age and he realizes he…”

Arya took her hand, kind of pleased to feel like the big sis for a change and offer some comfort. “Sansa, I know Jon. He’s not Harry. He’s been crazy about you for ages. And even if he does decide at some point he wants something else, Jon isn’t the type to lie and see girls behind your back.”

“You’re right.”

“And if you decide that maybe it’s not meant to be, we’ll deal with that, too. Jon is my very dear friend but I’ll always be your sister."

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Soooo…what do you think the chances are of me and Jon getting busted if I spend the night in his room?”

 

* * *

 

 

She’d barely seen him since their early morning kisses in the blissfully empty kitchen before he’d gone outside to take care of the hot tub for her dad. Then, he’d had to work at the theater. Sansa had been tempted to catch a matinee just to see him but didn’t want to get Jon in trouble since it’d be hard to resist trying to lure him away from his work in the darkened theater.

Since he’d come home, the whole family had been there with Rickon taking center stage to boast of his big catch of the day. Her little brother was sweet and it was nice for the youngest Stark to get a chance to have everyone’s attention.

It had started raining and Mom had suggested a movie. The guys had all chosen an action flick though and before long Sansa had whispered in Arya’s ear that she’d like to talk to her upstairs. It had felt good to get things out in the open between them. Her and Arya might be very different young women in some ways, but like Arya had said, they’d always be sisters.

She’d heard him coming upstairs a little while ago and now she stood outside his bedroom with her hand poised above the knob. She’d told him soon last night when he’d asked about having sex again. She’d meant it. She drew a deep breath and opened the door.

“Turn on some music,” she said in a sultry tone.

He’d been lying on his bed, tossing a baseball up in the air and catching it. His eyes flew from the ball to her. He missed his catch and it hit him square in the nose.

“Ouch!”

“Oh, Jon! I’m sorry!” She cringed when she realized how loud she’d said it. “Sorry,” she whispered again before she closed the door with extremely careful movements and locked it.

Jon was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at her hungrily…one of those smoldering, panty-drenching stares that apparently came naturally to him. How was a girl to resist?

“Your parents?”

“Won’t know I’m in here if we’re quiet.”

"I'm not sure how quiet I can be."

"Semi-quiet maybe?"

His face lit up with one of those precious smiles of his, the sort that always made her melt. He laid the baseball on his nightstand and reached over to flip on his radio. His eyes were dark and sinful as he pulled his t-shirt over his head and said in that husky tone, “I’ve been thinking of you all day.”

“I was thinking of you, too. I was thinking of you and tonight and wanting you all day,” she replied as she took off her top.

_‘Slow, slow hands_

_Like sweat dripping down our dirty laundry_

_No, no chance_

_That I'm leaving here without you on me_

_I, I know_

_Yeah, I already know that there ain't no stoppin'_

_Your plans and those_

_Slow hands (woo)’_

The music thrummed in the background as they fell onto his bed.

She was trying to take her shorts off and his mouth was all over her neck and jaw, like he couldn’t get enough of her. Their hands roamed busily over each other, touching all the exposed skin they could get to. His skin was smooth and his body was hard. _Not just his body._ His cock was erect, springing up to greet her when she slid his boxers down his hips. She started to lower her mouth to him.

“No, I’ll cum way too fast that way,” he said, gently pushing her off him. “Sansa, I want to go slow for you but I’m already so…”

She stopped his worries with a kiss and laid down again. “We’ve got all night, baby. We can take our time and go slow later.”

He hurriedly grabbed a condom out of his bedside drawer. She still had on her bra and he still wore his socks but she didn’t want to wait another second. She spread her legs and pulled him down on top of her, kissing those sweet, full lips of his and carding her fingers through his curls.

He was looking down between their bodies as he centered himself but then glanced up at her, his eyes so dark and needy. She nodded and he entered her swiftly, eliciting a moan that was louder than intended.

“Did I hurt you?”

_Not remotely_. She grinned and shook her head. “Fuck me, baby.”

“Gods…oh, gods.”

He started thrusting, his cock so full and hot inside her and his arms so strong around her. Her toes were already curling in anticipation.

“As good as you remember?” she teased.

“Even better.”

“Told you.”

He fucked her hard and fast, just like she’d expect any eighteen year old to do who was having sex for the second time in his life. But despite his lack of finesse, there was a devotion and tenderness in the way he stared at her and held her that she’d never known with that other guy who didn’t matter anymore.

She put her hands on his shoulders and wrapped her legs around him, loving the way he was struggling to muffle his cries as his hips bucked in time with hers. This was exactly what she wanted right now. She’d been walking around half-aroused most of the day. It wouldn’t take her long to get off and his bed was far more comfortable than the car.

His thrusts started to become erratic and Sansa reached down between them and rubbed her clit. It was just enough to push her over the edge. With a whimpered cry, her eyes closed and she bit down on his shoulder as she came. She heard his strangled groan when he came right after her.

“Shit. Am I crushing you?”

His chest was heaving and he was sweating. He had kind of collapsed at the end but he immediately started supporting himself with his elbows again. It didn’t matter. She loved the weight of him on top of her. Where in the past she might’ve felt pinned down, Jon only made her feel secure. Those grey eyes were searching her face with such sweetness. He was the most beautiful sight she’d ever seen.

“No, you’re holding me just right. I love you, Jon.”

A relieved grin appeared and he kissed her. “Gods, I love you, too, my sweet girl.”

She went to pee and he got rid of the condom. He was lying on his back when she was came back. He pulled her up against him. This was the best. His arm was around her. He brushed her hair back out of her face. They laid there together for good while. She could hear his heart beating. She was crazy for him and Arya was right. It could work.

“Will you really stay here with me all night?” he asked.

“All night. It’s all part of my selfish plan to make you too tired to go waterskiing or hiking or whatever tomorrow.”

He chuckled and his hand cupped her ass. “It’s supposed to rain tomorrow, too.”

“Is it now?” She knew perfectly well it was. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to find some entertainment around here then.”

“I like the sound of that plan. Think it’d be too suspicious if I offered to pay for everyone else to go catch a movie at the theater?” She giggled and snuggled up closer. She felt his cock twitch against her belly. She never wanted this night to end. “Hey, Sansa?”

“Yeah?”

“Is it too soon to…again?”

“Not too soon at all.”

 

* * *

 

 

Rickon was brushing his teeth when he remembered it.

He’d stayed up late with Bran playing video games after the movie had ended. He couldn’t believe Jon had gone to bed early. What better thing was there to do on a rainy night at the lake than watch John McClane take out some terrorists?

“Where are you going?” Bran asked as he passed through their room.

“I forgot to give Jon something earlier.”

“It’s past midnight.”

“So? I’ll just put it on his dresser if he’s asleep.”

“Better make sure you knock first,” Bran said with a grin.

Rickon grinned back at him but sometimes he wasn’t sure what Bran meant when he’d say stuff like that. He didn’t like to admit it though. Bran was four years older than him and might treat him like a little kid if he did instead of The Man who’d provided the family’s meal tonight.

He walked down the hall past his parents’ room and the girls’ to where Jon was.

He could hear music playing softly through the door…and moaning. He put his ear up to the door, not sure what to think.

_“Oh, fuck…fuck, Sansa…unnn…”_

_Oh, gods!_

Rickon jumped back from the door like it was red hot. He felt his cheeks flush and he tugged at his pajama shirt. He knew some stuff. He knew about the wank bank. It was pretty obvious that Jon had a crush on Sansa. She was pretty and sweet and Jon was a guy. But Rickon couldn’t stand out here listening to Jon making his deposit while thinking of his big sister.

He could give Jon that girl’s phone number tomorrow…if he didn’t forget.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm calling it Chekhov's phone number. 
> 
> And I'm sorry to make Alys so awful but I've known my share of pot-stirring trouble-makers so this story got one named Alys *shrugs*
> 
> Lyrics from 'Slow Hands' by Niall Horan


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember that 'angst' tag?

 

Under the darkening sky, Lyanna Snow watched the summer rain beating down on her begonias through the window. She had the night off and she’d thought she might watch a romantic movie and enjoy a little pasta and wine to alleviate the lonely feel of the house.

But when the power flickered off, she groaned and suspected she’d be watching a candle burn for entertainment and enjoying peanut butter crackers for dinner. At least, she still had wine.

July was moving along and she had to admit she was glad of it. She missed Jon. He was 18 now and would be leaving for Castle Black in September. Gods, how her heart ached when she thought of her boy leaving the nest.

_Where’s that wine again?_

She might have called her youthful fling with Jon’s father a horrible mistake…if not for Jon. But how could she feel anything but blessed when she looked at her darling son?

Meeting the Starks had been one of the best things to ever happen to them. She was so grateful for that first day at primary when fierce and feisty little Arya Stark had taken one look at Jon Snow and decided he’d be her friend. For a time, Lyanna had wondered if they’d grow from childhood friends to sweethearts someday but soon realized that was a no. It wasn’t who Arya and Jon were. They quickly became very dear to each other though, as much siblings as friends in many ways. Romance just wasn’t a part of that which was fine. Oftentimes, the most meaningful relationships in our lives aren’t romantic at all.

_And sometimes love stinks._

Despite that bitter reflection though, Lyanna still harbored hopes for herself…and for her son.

She’d not met all of the Stark kids until Jon had been going to Arya’s house after school for a couple of months. Cat had been so lovely to make the offer. The money it had saved her in after school care fees was very welcome and Jon was much happier there. But it wasn’t until a few months later that Lyanna learned part of why he was so happy there. That was the night Cat had invited her to come over and have dinner after work instead of throwing together something quick for herself and Jon. That had been the night she’d first seen Jon around Sansa.

All of eight, it was already apparent the elder Stark girl would grow into a beauty someday. Sweet and so lady-like (except when she was sticking her tongue out at her big brother), Sansa had won over Lyanna in a heartbeat with her engaging smiles and genuine courtesy. And Lyanna had seen the way her son would stare at her curiously. He was far too young to feel any true attraction but it was clear that Jon sat up straighter and paid careful attention to everything Sansa Stark did whenever she glided into the room.

However, for the past few years, Lyanna had begun to fret about Jon as his crush on Sansa became more and more serious. Like any mother, she just wanted him to be happy. He’d gone out on very few dates throughout high school. It was no great mystery to Lyanna as to why. But he was witty, intelligent and kind (and handsome if she did say so herself) and shouldn’t be putting himself on the proverbial shelf simply because Sansa didn’t feel the same way about him. She had thought about telling him as much but knew how horrified he’d be if his mother started asking him about his feelings for the pretty sister of his best friend.

So, she hoped for the best and kept her mouth closed. Perhaps this month up at the lake though might see a shift at last, one way or the other, and Jon could either move on and leave his adolescent crush behind or maybe Sansa would see all the wonderful things Lyanna’s son had to offer a girl.

She glanced out the window at the falling rain. _I wonder how things are going up at the lake._

He texted often enough for her to know he was alive but she hadn’t heard his voice in a week at least.

Sometimes, maternal instinct and a child’s intrinsic pull towards his or her mother work hand in hand though for at that very moment, Lyanna’s phone began to ring just as she sat down with her glass of wine.

She grinned when she saw his picture appear on her lock screen but then she felt a twinge of anxiety mixed with her happiness. What if something was wrong? She considered herself an intuitive mother but they were several miles apart.

“Hello?”

“Mom…it’s me.”

Just that first word was all she needed to know this was a good call. The instant she heard his voice, she sighed knowing he was alright.

“Hi, baby.”

“Mom…” he whined.

“Sorry,” she laughed at his annoyance.

She’d missed him so much. He was too old for her to call him baby. He was also _always_ going to be her baby.

 

* * *

 

 

It wasn’t like there was some big confession to make. It’s not like he’d been misbehaving or doing things he knew she’d disapprove of.

_Well, maybe a little but we are both technically adults so…_

Overall, he thought is mother would be happy for him. But it’s not like he was going to come out and say everything!

_Hey, Mom. I’m have a terrific time at the lake. By the way, you’ve already met your future daughter-in-law. I know you love Sansa so no worries there. And also, we’ve had sex…multiple times now. Would it be awkward for you if I had her sleep over a few nights a week when we get back home?_

Still, he wanted to share _something_ with his mom. 

"How’ve you been?” _I’m in love!_

“I’m good. How are you? Are you having a good time up there?”

“Yeah. It’s been great. I’m working at the theater, you know, but we’ve also done lots of waterskiing, hiking, fishing…all that stuff.” _I’m dating Sansa! We’re in love! She gave me a blow job and I’ve eaten her out repeatedly. She really likes that. I’m also going to marry her someday. I can’t wait for you to hold your first grandchild._

“And how’s everyone else?”

“They’re great.” _Sansa is amazing. She is the most beautiful, kindest, most loving, funniest…_

“I hope you’re not giving Ned and Cat any trouble.”

“Oh, no.” _I’m fucking their daughter behind their backs but not giving them any trouble._ Now, he felt a bit queasy. “Listen, Mom. I’m at work but just wanted to give you a quick call to check in.”

“Okay, baby. Have a good night.”

“You, too. Love you.”

“I love you, Jon.”

He hung up feeling partly happy and partly conflicted. He’d not told her anything.

_I’ll tell her when I get back._

_Yeah but is looking her in the eye going to be easier than saying it over the phone?_

_Hmmm…good point._

Jon covered his mouth to stifle a yawn as the 7 o’clock showing started letting out. Their month at the lake was over half gone but he was loving every minute of it. Unfortunately, that included a good deal of burning the candle at both ends. He’d deal with it. Sansa sneaking into his room after everyone was asleep and having her in his bed every night was well worth the lack of sleep.

He pushed his clean-up cart towards the emptying theater when he spied a familiar pair of blue eyes gazing at him from across the way.

“Hey! What’re you doing here?” he asked, feeling warm and happy that she’d surprised him.

“I was in the mood to catch a film.” She was wearing a pale yellow top and jeans. She had her hair braided. She was gorgeous. And he felt a distinct pleasure in seeing she’d worn the dragonfly pendant he’d bought her.

“By yourself?” “No, Arya’s getting popcorn.  I also was bored at the cabin and wanted to see you,” she added. He felt that zippy little thrill in his chest when she said that.

“Oh, really? Damn…I wish I could join you but…”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s nice just knowing you’re here, too. You’re off around eleven, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe we can split a milkshake or some fries after the movie then?”

“I’d love that.”

Jon glanced around. There were still people filing out of the theater but they were all strangers. The manager wasn’t around and this was his girl. He darted forward and gave her a quick kiss which made his heart beat faster. Sansa’s cheeks were turning the sweetest pink.

He grasped her hand. “So…I’ll see you after your show?”

“Alright, break it up you two!” Arya cried from behind him. They both jumped and Jon spun to see his best friend coming their way with a jumbo popcorn and enough soda to water a small farm. “If I’d known I’d be subjected to disgusting public displays of affection when I brought her here, I never would’ve brought her here.”

“I’m literally holding her hand. How is that subjecting you to disgusting…”

“Yadda, yadda, yadda. Get back to work, Snow, before I have a word with the manager of this establishment.”

“You suck, Stark.”

“Just Gendry,” she winked.

“Ewww! Who’s being subjected to disgusting things now?”

“Alright,” Sansa interrupted with a laugh before the bickering could carry on any further. “Time to find our seats, Arya. I’ll see you later, lover,” she murmured to him before leaning in for another kiss. This one was a peck just like the one he’d given her. But also different. It was soft and deliberate and…gods. His heart was pounding and blood was rushing to his cock.

“Enjoy the show,” he said in what he hoped wasn’t too much of a squeak before he pushed his cart into the blissfully empty theater to calm down.

 

* * *

 

 

_‘Oh I could say I need you but then you'd realize_

_That I want you just like a thousand other guys_

_Who'd say they loved you with all the rest of their lies_

_When all they wanted was to touch your face, your hands_

_And gaze into your eyes…’_

The jukebox at Hobb’s was playing the old tune when they entered. Sansa hugged herself despite the warm night. She loved this song although it was a little bittersweet. But tonight, she’d focus on the sweet.

She loved coming here again with Jon. Hobb’s was where they’d had their first date and this was the third time they’d come here now. In her heart, she’d already decided the diner would always be their special place. She could almost picture coming back here someday when they were married or something.

_Married? Getting ahead of yourself much?_

Still…she could almost picture it.

Jon ordered a vanilla shake for her and a chocolate one for him directly from Hobb at the counter. That girl Alys was taking an order at another booth and Sansa didn’t miss the sad-eyed look she shot Jon’s way. That previous encounter had rankled when they’d been here on their first date, back before things had progressed as far as they had, but now she only felt pity for poor Alys.

_Maybe she’ll find some special guy at college._

She forgot all about Alys though as Jon sat down across from her in an empty booth, took her hand and they started talking. They were discussing school and their future career aspirations as Hobb dropped off their shakes.

“I dunno,” he said, scratching at the back of his neck. “I promised Mom I’d go to college for a couple of years at least but I also want to work with my hands so…”

“Oh, but there’s so many wonderful things you could do with your hands.”

“You think so? Some people act like I’m unambitious or crazy when I mention learning a trade.”

“Some people?”

“Well, mostly my father.”

Sansa sniffed but said nothing about him. “What’s wrong with learning a trade? The world needs all sorts of people doing all sorts of things, doesn’t it? Do you like the idea of fixing things? Building something? Helping people or…”

“You sound like you’ve got a ton of ideas.” She smiled uncertainly, not sure if he thought she was overstepping. “I like that you’ve got ideas, Sansa,” he said with a reassuring squeeze of her hand. “Are you still happy with your studies?”

“To be honest…I’ve gone off political science a bit. I’m kind of leaning towards…” His eyes widened, obviously eager to hear. She’d not admitted this to anyone though. _I guess_ _Jon’s the right person to try it out on_. “I’m interested in pursuing a career in design.”

“Like fashion?”

“No. I do like that but I’m kind of thinking I should’ve chosen interior design instead.”

“Oh, yeah? Well, you’d be great at that. You should definitely go for it if it calls to you.”

“I’d like to but…it’d mean I’ve wasted a lot of time in classes I don’t need the past two years.”

“Don’t call it wasted time. You probably learned some good stuff which could always benefit you down the road in some way. But you shouldn’t be afraid to switch your course of study if you’ve got a passion for something else.”

“I…that’s really a nice way of putting it, Jon.”

Once they were ready to leave Hobb’s, Sansa spied Alys lingering by the door like she wanted to say something but Jon was laughing with Hobb about something and didn’t notice her. She gave Sansa a friendly smile though and Sansa smiled back.

“Are you enjoying your summer, Alys?”

“It could be better,” Alys said with another sad little glance Jon’s way. “But…you two make a cute couple, Sansa. I’m sorry about…well, I hope you have a good rest of the summer.”

“Thank you, Alys. I hope you enjoy yours and Castle Black this fall.”

“Thanks. Should be exciting settling in and all.”

Jon came up behind her and put his arm around her waist. “Ready to go, sweetheart?”

“Yes,” she said, flushing with pleasure.

“I’ll see you around campus, Alys.”

“Yeah…I’ll see you, Jon.”

Hand in hand, they walked to his car, whispering naughty things to each other about what they were going to do tonight once they were sure her parents and brothers were in bed.

Part of Sansa enjoyed the secretiveness of all this. Even if Arya knew, it was still their secret from everyone else. There was a giddy thrill in stealing breathless kisses here and there and silencing each other’s moans in his bedroom at night.

But another part of her was coming to regret keeping this from her parents. She thought once they got back home might be a better place to tell them though and, since Jon had pointed out that he might feel better telling her dad when he didn’t have to worry about waking up with a knife to his throat at the cabin, she’d agreed.

“Shit,” Jon grumbled after a couple of ineffective tries at the turning the engine over.

He’d said something about his starter acting up last night. Sansa had smiled knowingly and trusted that it was no big deal. Apparently, it was.

A half hour later, Jon had shed his button down from work and was in a white t-shirt with a streak of grease smeared on his khaki’s. His fingernails looked filthy. He was sweaty and cursing under his breath and Sansa really shouldn’t have been half this turned on by that.

“Mechanics work with their hands and make good money,” she said only half teasing when he slammed the hood down.

He scoffed and wiped the sweat from his brow. Curly tendrils were sticking to his neck. The street was deserted and she had a condom in her bag. _Gods, be good. Behave!_

“Should I call Dad?”

He grimaced. They both knew her father would come rescue them in a heartbeat. Jon could get the part he needed for his car tomorrow perhaps and the car would be running like always again. They also both knew that her father would be curious as to why she’d left the cabin with Arya to see a movie and was now outside Hobb’s near midnight with Jon.

Before Jon could agree though, a set of headlights appeared and a familiar vehicle pulled up beside them.

“You guys need some help?”

“Waymar?”

“Sansa? Hey, Sansa!”

She gulped and shot a look Jon’s way. _This is going to be awkward._

 

* * *

 

 

 _Well, this is awkward_.

Jon sat glaring at the back of Waymar Royce’s head in the tiny rear seat of the black sports car. He folded his arms over his chest while chastising himself for acting like an immature prick. He knew she’d dated Waymar three summers ago up at the lake. None of that mattered now. But, the way he’d found out…

_It’s no fun realizing your crush is seeing someone else by accidently walking up on their make-out session. In fact, it’s down-right heartbreaking._

It was the last summer Robb had come with them and he’d taken them to paintball. Robb had pulled into his spot but got a call from his girlfriend and shooed Jon and Arya on their way to the cabin. There was an unfamiliar black sports car parked in the drive closer to the front door.

 _“Who’s that?”_ he’d asked Arya.

_“Uh…”_

But then, he hadn’t had to ask anything else. Apparently, they hadn’t been their long enough for the windows to fog up but there had been no mistaking Sansa’s red hair as she was necking with that Waymar Royce guy who’d worked down at the local theater.

He’d felt like he’d been punched in the gut…or stabbed in the heart.

 _“I’m kind of tired,”_ he’d managed to say to Arya before he’d ran into the cabin and torn up the stairs to the room he was sharing with Robb.

She’d bought him a good phone the month before and he’d taken it on the trip.

 _“Mom?”_ He’d felt shaky and sick and he’d wanted to cry.

_“Oh, baby. What’s wrong?”_

_“I want to come home.”_

He hadn’t of course. His mom had told him he could come home if he wanted but also reminded him he was there to have fun with Arya and the family. And he hadn’t quite explained why he’d wanted to come home. She’d thought he was just suddenly homesick.

He’d told his mom he’d probably feel better in the morning and bid her good night. Then, he’d buried his hurt as best he could and pretended to be asleep when Robb came up later.

_That was three years ago. I was too young for her then but we’re together now. She’s my girl and not his. Her and Waymar…it didn’t last more than a month. It couldn’t have been that serious._

_And you and Sansa have been together how long exactly?_

_Sometimes, I really don’t like you, other half of my brain._

“So, how’s school, Sansa?” Waymar asked her.

“It’s good. You’re finished, right?”

“Yeah but I'm doing grad school in the fall. How about you, sport? Going to be a senior, right?”

 _Sport? Oh, fuck you_. “I’m starting at Castle Black in the fall.”

“Oh! My bad! Hey, Castle Black’s a good school. It was one of my top three picks. One of my best friends goes there. Lots of pretty girls up there, he told me. Said some of those girls are wild,” he chuckled.

“I already have a girl,” Jon growled.

He shouldn’t be this angry at Waymar. He really shouldn’t be thinking about punching him in the back of the head either. He was doing them a favor, giving them a ride all the way back to the cabin even though it was out of his way. The guy didn’t mean any harm. Jon was five years younger than him. Waymar probably looked at him the same way he looked at Rickon.

But Sansa was sitting up in the passenger seat next to Waymar and Jon was sitting in the back…like a kid.

_The same seat she sat in who knows how many times and let Waymar kiss her and maybe touch her tits or feel her up even and…_

He felt sick at his stomach again, the same way he had that night three years ago. He wondered how pissed Waymar would be if he vomited chocolate shake all over his backseat.

And she wasn’t saying a damn thing about them. No ‘Jon and I are dating’ or ‘Jon’s my boyfriend’ or ‘I love cumming on Jon’s cock’ or ‘Jon is the future father of my children.’ Just sitting there, fidgeting with her hair and looking uncomfortable. Was she ashamed of him? Is this how she might act once they got back home and she was around her friends and peers again?

_“There’s that boy I had fun sexploring with over the summer. We had some fun but I’m ready for a real man now.”_

Tears were starting to prick his eyes and that was absolutely not about to happen right now in Waymar’s car.

The drive probably took no more than twenty minutes but it had seemed like a year as Jon struggled to keep his emotions in check and Sansa made polite chit-chat with the guy she used to snog in this very car, never once saying one thing about them.

“Well, here we are,” Waymar said as they pulled up to the cabin. “Still remember my way here,” he chuckled and gave Sansa an easy grin.

Jon’s hands balled into fists. He had no right to punch Waymar. He might punch a wall soon though. Or go for a run. Or chop down a tree. Something.

“Thank you, Waymar. Jon and I really appreciate the ride.”

“Sure thing, Sansa. Happy to be your knight in shining armor.”

“Right. Thanks again. Wow, I’m beat, Jon. Are you ready to head to bed, honey?”

She turned to look right at him as his mouth fell open. He didn’t miss the way Waymar’s mouth fell open too for a split second before he quickly recovered.

Did he secretly feel like doing a fist pump? A tap dance?

Why, yes. Yes, he did.

“Uh huh…you two have a good one,” Waymar said as they were climbing out of the car and staring at each other. “I hope you get your starter fixed, Jon.”

“Yeah, uh…”

He didn’t get to finish thanking the man as he threw that black sports car in reverse. The tires squealed a bit when he got to the pavement again from the gravel drive.

 _Poor guy_.

 

* * *

 

 

She was dying to talk to him, to clear the palatable tension from earlier and kiss him till they were both senseless.

But first…

The lights were still on in the living room and Ned Stark was snoring on the sofa. He’d waited up for her…or maybe for them both. Sansa’s heart swelled with love for him…and also fluttered with a mild bit of panic.

“Dad? I’m home.”

His eyes opened and he gave her a sleepy smile. “Oh, good. I was worried, love. Jon with you?”

“Yes, Mr. Stark.”

“Arya said you both wanted milkshakes after the movie but she was tired and decided to head home.”

_Sweet sister…you are good to us._

He said it like it was the most innocent thing in the world. And it was…but there was so much more to them than grabbing milkshakes together like pals. She hated lying to him.

“We did. Jon had some car trouble though and we had to catch a ride home which ran us late.” Her father’s brow furrowed. “From a friend, Dad. Not a stranger.”

“Good. What’s wrong with your car, Jon?”

“The starter, I think.”

“I’ll run you to town in the morning and we’ll get it fixed up.”

“Thanks, Mr. Stark. Goodnight, Sansa.”

He had his hands shoved in his pockets and she knew he wanted to talk to her just like she wanted to talk to him. She knew he wanted other things too based on the way he’d been looking at her on the driveway just now.

Sansa followed him up the stairs and entered her bedroom. She could hardly stand waiting. She wanted to talk to Jon right now. She heard her father’s footsteps coming up the stairs to head into his own room. She only counted to twenty before opening her door and heading down the hall.

Jon was emptying his pants pockets onto the bureau when she quietly slipped into his room. “Whoa…are you sure he’s asleep?” he asked, clearly surprised to see her so soon.

“Jon? Are you upset with me?”

“No, sweetheart.”

“But you were earlier…in Waymar’s car.”

He frowned and she could tell he was trying to decide what he wanted to say.

She’d felt bad sitting there keeping mum about what Jon was to her with Waymar. It had just been so terribly unexpected and strange. She started worrying about their age difference again and wondering what her friends would think…or what a guy like Harry would say.

_“Robbing the cradle, Sansa? How pathetic.”_

And then there were other insecurities plaguing her. _“Lots of pretty girls up there…some of those girls are wild.”_

Jon was handsome and funny and what girl wouldn’t want him? They’d be clawing each other’s eyes out for a chance with Jon Snow. And she’d be the girl he’d left back home.

But as they got closer to the house, she knew in her heart that anyone who’d make her feel bad for being with Jon didn’t really matter at all. He was what mattered. She loved him and he loved her. And if her friends found it amusing, maybe she needed some new friends.

The other worry…she just needed to trust him and have faith that he wouldn’t treat her the way Harry had.

“I’m sorry if I hurt you earlier by not speaking up right away to Waymar about us,” she said instead of making him say it all first.

“You didn’t do anything wrong really. It’s not like I expect you to go around announcing it to everyone we see.” She raised her eyebrows at him. “Okay, maybe I’d _like_ for you to do that. I just thought you might be…ashamed of me.”

“Well, now I feel about this big,” she said pinching two fingers together. She walked towards him and felt such a lovely sense of relief when he wrapped his arms around her for an embrace. She stroked his beard lovingly. “I promise I’m not ashamed of you, not at all. I just need a little time to get my head wrapped around all this, okay? We’ve still got some important people to tell about us.”

“Yeah, we do. I get what you’re saying.”

“And, it’s all happened…”

“Kind of quick. I know. You know what else I know?”

“That I love you?”

“And, that I love you.”

He kissed her then, that hungry kiss that told her he wanted her. He wanted _her_. Not Alys Karstark or any of the girls back in Winterfell or some wild girls up north.

“I’m all sweaty and dirty from working on the car,” he said with a dark look when they both drew back for air.

“I like you sweaty and dirty. How about a shower?”

“Together?”

“Yes.”

“Really? Shower sex?” he asked with a gleeful look.

“Yes. If you want.”

“Fuck yes!” But then, his expression changed slightly. “Sansa? You never…not with Waymar, did you?”

“No, Jon. Never did more than kiss him.”

She understood his curiosity. She had a touch of that, too. “I know you were a virgin but…”

“I’ve never done more than kiss another girl. I haven’t really done much of that even.”

She’d thought as much. “Well, I’ve never had sex in a shower before.”

“Never?”

“Never.”

She could tell he liked that answer.

They started kissing and started undressing as they made their way to his bathroom. He turned on the water and kissed every inch of her shoulders and a good portion of her back while they waited for it to get warm and steamy. He closed the curtain and reached for her, kissing her with that passionate but tender sort of sweetness that was so unlike any other kissing she’d ever known.

“Turn around, sweetheart.”

She complied and loved the feel of his muscled body and the sprinkling of hair across his chest pressed against her back. He cupped one breast, gently squeezing. She leaned her head back. He hummed in her ear and then started sucking on her neck.

“Hold on to that bar,” he rasped.

She shivered as he grabbed the condom packet from the soap holder. For a first timer, he was doing everything right.

Braced against the towel bar, her breath hitched as he thrust his way inside her from behind. She could feel his hands on her hips and she spread her legs a bit wider and reared her ass up a touch to accommodate him.

“Fuck…” he groaned contentedly, the sound echoing slightly in the confined space with the hot water running. “This alright?”

“Yes.” His hand slithered down from her breast to her clit.

“Oh, gods…yes.”

Soon, it was her making sounds that echoed all around them in the shower.

 

* * *

 

 

Sansa was towel-drying her hair at his bureau as he rummaged through his drawer to find her a shirt to sleep in. She’d have to sneak back to her bedroom before morning but this had become a routine by now. He wanted to hold her during the night and she wanted to be held.

_Sex in the shower. First time for us both._

That second part probably pleased him far more than it should.

But more than just the sex, he’d enjoyed the entire sensual experience of it; soaping up each other’s bodies, she’d let him wash her hair and then she’d done the same to him, kissing until the water had started to get cold. He couldn’t wait to do those sorts of things with her all the time.

He found her a shirt and went to brush his teeth. When he came back out, she was staring at him. There was an inexplicable frostiness in the air.

Sansa was standing by his bureau in his t-shirt and her panties and holding a small piece of paper.

“What’s that?”

“Like you don’t know.” There were tears in her eyes.

Crumpled like it’d been carried around in a pocket for at least a week, she held it out to him. In purple ink and decidedly feminine handwriting with little hearts on either side he read what the paper said: _Alys 867-5309 Call me anytime ;)_

His heart was pounding frantically. Where did that come from? Why was it here? And how? And why was Sansa looking at him like he’d just ripped her heart into a million pieces? Didn’t she know he couldn’t care less about Alys and would never have accepted her number or a note like that?

“That’s not mine. I have no idea where…”

“Oh, it just magically appeared on top of your bureau in your room. Do you think I’m an idiot, Jon?”

“No! Sansa…”

“I thought you were different. I thought…how could you?!” she sobbed before she ran out of his room, down the hall and slammed her door shut behind her.

He chased after her in only his boxers and was met with a locked door. Sansa was crying on the other side of it. He shouted for her to come out and listen to him. He heard sounds behind him and looked over his shoulder to see Mrs. Stark and Bran staring sleepily at him from the doorway of their rooms…and Mr. Stark standing right behind him.

 

* * *

 

Lyanna grimaced at the buzzing sound which wasn’t quite making sense right away. She slowly opened her eyes to find her room was still dark. She reached for her phone half asleep but then immediately was wide awake when she saw Jon’s smiling face on her lock screen. Her guts were immediately twisting, knowing something was very wrong for him to be calling her this time of night.

She could hear it in the broken way he said it. Her heart thudded dully even though he’d only said one word.

“Mom?”

_Oh, shit…_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry?? That got way more angsty than what I typically write but these two goofs have not been talking enough about their insecurities and fears and that's biting them in the ass now. Pretty typical for their age but I promise I'm working on the resolution because I can't stand for my babies to be hurting:'(
> 
> On a lighter note, who knew Alys's middle name must be Jenny with that number, huh?
> 
> Lyrics from 'Cherish' by The Association.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for a little sisterly intervention, Jon to put more clothes on and these two love birds to have a talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been staring at this for a week and still not sure I'm completely happy with it but...here we go!

 

“What in seven hells?” Arya groaned when the slamming door woke her. She bolted upright when she heard Sansa crying. “What in seven hells?! Sansa? What happened?”

Sansa was a complete sniffling, hiccupping, snotty-nosed, weepy mess though and wasn’t very coherent. She didn’t think Sansa had ever looked quite so blotchy and horrible. _Where’s my phone? I need to take a picture for posterity._

Okay, she wasn’t really going to do that but giving one’s siblings hell does tend to come second nature.

Between the sobs and the sudden racket of someone beating on their door though she made out something about Jon having Alys’ phone number.

“Who?”

“Alys… ** _*hiccup*_** …Karstark…from school…”

“Oh, her. Why would Jon have her number? And who cares if he does?” _Okay, Sansa cares_ , she realized as there was a renewal of weeping and accusations. And all the while, Jon was pounding on their door and begging Sansa to come out. “Sansa, Jon isn’t into Alys. He’s probably said a dozen words to her in his entire life. He’s been nuts about you for years. I’m not sure why he has her number but I think you may be blowing this way out of proportion.”

“You don’t understand! She was flirting with him when we were on our first date!”

“You think she’s alone in that? Lots of girls flirt with Jon. Not that he notices.”

“But Harry…”

“Jon isn’t Harry.”

Her sister’s mouth fell open like she had more to say but then promptly shut again. Sansa covered her face as Arya put an arm around her shoulders. “Oh, gods. I didn’t even give him a chance to explain. I saw the number and freaked out and just knew I was being cheated on again. What if I just blew it?”

“You may have freaked out. Sounds like he is too by the way he’s pounding on the door. I’m sure you didn’t blow it. Jon wouldn’t dump you over one misunderstanding.”

“Why wouldn’t he after what I did to him?”

“Because he’s…” She trailed off as there was a raised voice outside their door. Not Jon begging for Sansa to come out and professing his undying love. Another voice. “Oh, shit. Dad’s awake.”

Sansa’s face crumpled up and she looked like she might start weeping again. _Or not_. “I’ve got to talk to him!” she said as she got to her feet. “And I can’t let him face Dad alone!”

“Then, go! I’ll try to help with Mom and Dad but you need to talk to Jon. You need to hear his explanation and tell him why you assumed the worst. He deserves to know, Sansa.”

Sansa was nodding as she pulled open the door.

But Jon was no longer on the other side. It was just their parents standing there.

 

* * *

 

 

Obviously, he was a dead man but who could even care when the light of his life wouldn’t even talk to him?

Okay…admittedly, yelping and bolting for his room when he’d turned around to find Ned Stark and the others staring at him in his boxer-clad glory had not been a shining moment.  But it’s not like he had much alternative, right?

His car was still parked near Hobb’s with a busted starter after all. And what would he have said?

_“Hey, Ned! Did I wake you? Well, as long as you’re up…I’m in love with Sansa and I’m afraid there’s been some awful misunderstanding after we fucked in the shower earlier. That may have been more information than you needed. Oh, do you like the snowflakes on this pair? They’re my favorites.”_

He could hardly have managed to say all that to the man. He could hardly manage to say much anything right apparently.

_But she won’t talk to me. She wouldn’t even listen. She…what if she won’t ever give me a chance to explain? What if she won’t believe me? What if ***gulp*** she doesn’t love me anymore?_

Jon put his hand over his aching heart and did what any independent and mature young man of eighteen might do at such a moment. He called his mommy.

 

* * *

 

 

“Ned, go to talk to him,” Cat said, shooing him towards the recently closed door.

“I, uh…really don’t want to,” Ned whined, not remotely ashamed of sounding more like a teenage boy at the moment than a man well into his middle years.

_Can’t I just go back to bed and pretend none of this happened? I’m going to need a few beers to erase all this first though. Gods only know what the boy might actually tell me._

He wasn’t a fool. He’d been Jon’s age once and he’d seen the way Jon stared at Sansa. He’d stared at Catelyn Tully like that plenty long before he’d worked up the nerve to ask her out. He just chose to ignore Jon’s crush 99% of the time.

And, with Sansa being older he’d thought maybe he’d never be confronted with something like this…a half-naked boy banging on his daughter’s bedroom door at an ungodly hour when Ned should be sleeping.

But, he’d seen Jon and heard Sansa sobbing. At first, he’d wondered if he needed to restrain him but this was Jon. He knew he was a good kid who would never hurt his girls. He’d punched that little shit Joffrey for mistreating Sansa back in high school after all. And besides, him and Cat had had a few rows as a young couple. This scene had a certain _flavor_ to it, the flavor of an intimate fight.

_I mean, they are adults so maybe it’d be best if we just kept our noses out of it. It’s not like…_

“Ned! Talk to him or talk to her. Your choice,” Cat said with her arms folded over her chest and a smug look as the door to the girls’ room swung open.

He met Sansa’s blue eyes that were far more watery than he liked right now. Ned loved his daughter very much and he hoped she knew she could always talk to him and come to him with anything. She should also still be ten.

Having been a teenage boy before and having had a few talks with his sons over the years, Ned could probably manage a conversation with Jon about girls and feelings and _***gulp*** _ sex. But having that conversation with Sansa?

_Just go ahead and start pulling out my fingernails, please._

“Uh…him,” he told his wife as he darted down the hallway.

 

* * *

 

 

_Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls, put your hands together for the one…the only…World Famous Rock God, Mighty Bass Fisherman, Daredevil Go-Cart Driver, Renowned Paintball Assassin, International Trivia Champion, Winterfell Junior High’s Fastest Sprinter (even if he came in second in the city finals) and The Most Amazing Kid Ned and Catelyn Stark ever had…RICKON STARK!!_

“Rickon…wake up. You won’t believe this shit.”

Rickon grimaced and opened his eyes to find his brother standing over his bed. “Why’d you have to wake me, huh? I was having a good dream.”

Bran smirked at him. “Was it a happy dream?”

Why did he say it like that? “Yeah, it was happy. I was awesome and you sucked.”

“As if,” Bran scoffed. “No, no…get a load of this. Jon and Sansa? They’ve been doing it.”

“It?” He scratched his head. It took a second or two. “Oh, it! You mean, IT?!” Rickon sat up and shivered. “UGH!! Why’d you wake me up from my good dream with something like that?! I’m just a child. Why’d you want to corrupt my young mind with images of our sister and Jon doing…that?!”

“Because Jon just got busted by Dad outside Sansa’s room in only his boxers!”

“Oh, shit! Is Dad going to kill him?”

“No! At least…gods, I hope not.”

 

* * *

 

 

“I’m sure it’s fixable, darling.”

Sansa hugged her mother tightly as the three of them sat on Arya’s bed. She felt her mother’s hand drifting through her hair and Arya rubbing her back.

“I’m sorry for hiding this from you guys.”

“You don’t have to be sorry.”

She loved them so dearly and hated that she’d caused all this worry by jumping to conclusions and making a scene. She’d still like to know how that number got there though. And why had Alys looked so sad tonight if Jon had accepted her number and said he’d see her around campus? Was it because he hadn’t called? Or because he was with her instead? Or…

“Did you go to bed with your hair wet, Sansa?” her mother said concernedly. “You know that’s not really a good idea, even in summer.”

“No, Mom. I had a shower a little while ago.” _With Jon..._

Arya started snickering and Sansa could’ve pinched her. Or may started snickering too. She sighed and relaxed. She needed to talk to Jon but, at the moment, she was craving her mother’s comfort.

“Mom, you can’t let Dad kill Jon!”

The three of them startled at the shout and saw poor Rickon standing in the doorway.

“Your father’s not going to do anything to Jon, Rickon. He’s just going to talk to him…I think.”

Sansa wasn’t afraid of her father killing Jon. She knew he loved him. But, knowing them both very well, this was bound to be one of the most awkward conversations ever in the history of awkward conversations. Seeing as how none of this would’ve happened quite this way if not for her reaction, she had to go intervene.

“I’ll go speak with them,” she said, leaving her mother’s comfort behind to deal with the situation at hand. “Jon and I can try and clear up the phone number mystery.”

“What phone number?” Rickon asked.

“Nothing, sweetie,” she said ruffling his hair. “Just some stupid phone number in Jon’s room that led to a terrible misunderstanding…”

“Oh, was it the one from Alys down at Hobb’s? Tell Jon I didn’t mean to take so long giving it to him but I kind of forgot.”

“Forgot? Wait. Rickon…did you give Alys’ number to Jon?”

“Yeah. Well, I kind of forgot about it. I noticed it was still in my pocket. I left it on his bureau when he was at work earlier.”

“And she gave it to you to give to him?”

“Yeah.”

“When did she give it to you?” Arya asked.

“About a week ago. The day I made my big catch fishing with Dad and Bran.”

“ _After_ Jon and I had gone there on our first date,” she grumbled under her breath as she left.

“Tell me more about your chat with Alys, Rickon,” she heard Arya say, cracking her knuckles.

 

* * *

 

 

_“Maybe I've been here before_

_I know this room, I've walked this floor_

_I used to live alone before I knew you_

_I've seen your flag on the marble arch_

_Love is not a victory march_

_It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah”_

 

Jon had turned on some music to try and ignore the ridiculously embarrassing conversation going on ten feet away from him in his room. He was torn between trying to talk to Sansa again or packing his bag since he worried he might no longer be welcome here. The thought of that…it was almost more than he could bear. This family meant so much to him, not just Sansa, all of them. And this song was depressing as fuck so he skipped to a different one.

 

_“If you ever change your mind_

_About leaving, leaving me behind_

_Oh, oh, bring it to me_

_Bring your sweet loving_

_Bring it on home to me…”_

 

He usually thought of Motown as kind of upbeat but Sam Cooke wasn’t exactly what his broken heart wanted at the moment.

He turned the music back off and decided to face the music. Or not since there was no longer any music playing. _Something like that. I’m tired, confused, embarrassed and hurt, okay?_

He could hear his mother screeching loudly through the phone. “Promise me, Ned! I love you all but I’m warning you…if you dare lay one finger on my son…”

“Lyanna, I would never let any harm come to Jon and I’d certainly never hurt him. I’m just going to…no, I wouldn’t. Well, yes…you and me both…okay…alright. Yes, I’ll have him call you back.” Mr. Stark ended the call and handed Jon back his phone. “You know I wouldn’t hurt you, right?”

“Umm, yeah?” _Okay, I may have overreacted a bit when you knocked on my door and I screamed, ‘He’s coming to kill me, Mom!’ But sure…I know that_.

“Do I really come across that intimidating?”

“Umm, yeah. I mean, you’ve always been great to me…kind of like a dad to me really but you also give off this I-could-really-fuck-you-up-if-I-wanted-to vibe.”

Mr. Stark started grinning. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me Ned, Jon?” Now, Jon was grinning, too. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.  “Soooo…you and Sansa?”

_Never mind. This is still awful. At least, I’m dressed now._

Ned’s expression was somewhere between a cringey, please-gods-don’t-tell-me face and a I-already-know-so-let’s-get-this-over-with face.

“Yeah, we, um…yeah. Well, we were but now I’m…she’s mad at me. And hurt. Both.”

“I kind of guessed as much.”

“I don’t know where the stupid phone number came from. I didn’t ask her for it.”

“And now, you’ve lost me.”

“Sorry. See, that girl Alys down at Hobb’s went to school with me and Arya and…”

“Dad?” Jon gulped and stood when he saw Sansa coming into his room. She was still in his t-shirt but had thrown on some pants at least. _Getting dressed before leaving the room. My girl is so smart._ “Could I talk to Jon alone for a minute?”

“Sure thing,” Ned said, moving with surprising speed to escape the room. “Call your mom back in a bit so she knows I didn’t kill you or anything, will you, Jon?”

“Yes, Mis-…yes, Ned.”

She waited until her father left and then closed the door and sat down on his bed. “Can we talk?”

“Yes, please. Sansa, I swear to you that I never…”

“I know. I know where the number came from now and that you’re completely blameless. But even before I knew that, I realized I’d made a mistake by not listening to you earlier. I’m really sorry, Jon.”

“Oh…well. You’re forgiven,” he said, sitting down next to her and kissing her cheek. _Simple_. Somehow, it didn’t feel that simple though.

Sansa sighed and took his hand. He felt like the world’s heaviest weight had just been removed from his chest but there was still something lingering where it had been. She seemed to be considering her words before she spoke again.

“So, my parents and little brothers know about us, I guess.”

“My mom, too.”

“Jon, I’m sorry.”

“You said that already.”

“I know but…we need to get better at talking to each other.”

“We talk.” She raised her eyebrows. “Yeah, I get what you’re saying.” They’d been talking _around_ a lot of things but not always getting to the heart of the issue.

“I need to get better at talking about my insecurities. I need to learn to share more with you and trust you.”

“I guess I should probably try that, too. I trust you but I was really angry earlier in Waymar’s car. I loved what you said to him when we got here but I wanted you to say something sooner. If you hadn’t come up and asked me about it afterwards though, I probably wouldn’t have said anything.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to lose you by admitting I was angry. I don’t ever want you to be angry with me either.”

“You think you’d lose me for admitting I upset you?”

He nodded. “I want to do everything right with you. I want it all to be…perfect.”

“It’s never going to be perfect, Jon. We both need to accept that. Sometimes, we’ll get upset or angry with each other. We also need to realize that making this work when we’re separated will not always be easy either.”

“But we’re in love.” Even as he said it, he knew how foolish he sounded. Being in love was simple at times and horribly complicated at others.

“We are. And it’ll still be hard sometimes. We’ll fight or disagree or get the wrong impression about what the other person meant in a text or…it’s going to take patience.”

“I waited twelve years for my chance with you. I can be patient.”

“Twelve years?”

“Okay, not twelve years in this sense but…I can be patient. We’ll talk every day and see each other whenever we can and never give up on each other. We can only do our best, right?”

“Yes.”

“And if we fight…”

“We’ll talk it out and listen to each other.”

He reached for her hand and she gave it. The lingering troubling sensation from earlier was gone now. “So, to turn over this new leaf of talking and sharing, would you tell me how Alys’ number got on my bureau and why you automatically thought I was lying?”

“Okay.”

 

* * *

 

 

She’d thought telling Jon all about Harry and the mortifying incident from the spring would be hard. It turned out it wasn’t that hard at all. He was a good listener and a sympathetic one. And maybe it shouldn’t have but it helped when he talked about smashing Harry’s face in if he ever saw him again, too.

“I know it must have hurt, sweetheart. I can understand why it’d leave you filled with doubts.”

“And self-esteem issues.”

“Sansa…you’re amazing and gorgeous. If Harry was that big of an idiot, I feel sorry for him. Well, not because a) he hurt my girl and b) him being an idiot is working out in my favor but…you get me.”

“I get you,” she laughed. She felt lighter than she had all month. Much as she loved him, keeping the secret was its own sort of burden. Now that everyone knew, that burden was lifted.

Once they worked past that, they discussed the age difference and what it might mean around their peers. She didn’t want to feel like the ‘older woman’ and he didn’t want to feel like a little kid.

“Two years. It’s not that big deal a deal, not unless we allow it to be,” she said practically.

“Absolutely.”

“No one would bat an eye if I was the guy and you were the girl. And ten years from now, I doubt anyone would comment on two years difference in age.”

“That’s true.”

“Anyone who has a problem with our relationship…”

“Can go fuck themselves.”

“Well…yes.”

Next was talking about their future and confronting a few expectations. Sansa might’ve daydreamed some about what it might be like to be married to Jon someday. But she was not prepared for how seriously Jon was taking their relationship.

_Does he have a wedding planner already filled out? Has he booked our honeymoon?_

Maybe he hadn’t gone that far but he was obviously looking at their relationship as long-term.

It thrilled her in a way. What guy his age would be this serious this soon?

It also frightened her some. What guy his age would be this serious this soon?!

“I know it sounds nuts but…Sansa, you know about my mom and my father.”

She did. His father was a self-centered ass who sent his child support payments and took Jon to Dorne two weeks out of the year to ‘father’ him. The rest of the year, they barely spoke.

Meanwhile, all the true parenting had fallen on Lyanna, along with the hardships of being a single mother. Sansa knew her parents had helped Jon’s mother a great deal over the years but she never would’ve called Lyanna’s life easy.

“My mom is such a romantic at heart. But, she sort of gave up on ever having it for herself after my dad and has devoted herself to raising me. She’s always telling me she wants the best for me but mostly that she wants me to be happy.”

“That’s what my parents say as well.”

“You make me so happy.”

“You make me happy, too.”

“In my heart…I just know it can all work out.”

He’d never had sex before this month. He’d never been in a real relationship before either. How could she gently tell him that sometimes (a lot of times) first loves don’t work out and they might both end up in very different places in the coming years?

When she looked into his soft grey eyes, she knew she couldn’t. If Jon’s whole-hearted belief that this was it and they’d marry and have a family together was a bit naïve, Sansa didn’t have it in her tonight to dispute it.

“Do you think I’m crazy?”

“Yes…” His face fell until she added, “but I like crazy.”

His smile could’ve melted the hardest heart and maybe his faith was what her once bitten, twice shy heart needed. _And, crazier things have happened than falling in love for the rest of your life with someone at twenty or eighteen._

 

* * *

 

 

Their month at the lake was nearly at an end and the moon was full once more. Tomorrow morning they’d all be heading home and the Starks’ cabin retreat would be sitting idle again.

It was hard to believe how much had changed over the course of this month. Honestly, looking back on how it had all started, Jon still couldn’t believe it. He’d come here thinking his love for her would never be requited. He was leaving as her boyfriend.

Jon was packing after dinner that final night when there was a knock on the door.

“Since when do you knock?” he asked when he opened it.

“Since I’m afraid I’ll walk in on you testing out your latest Cosmo article on my sister.”

“Ha. Ha. Ha. I heard a rumor that you talked to Alys.”

“You may have heard right,” she said slyly.

“Arya…”

“We just had a woman-to-woman chat…just so she doesn’t start getting any ideas when you’re both up at Castle Black.”

“It doesn’t matter what she thinks. I’d never cheat on your sister.”

“I know but I felt better making sure she wasn’t pestering my best friend with unwelcome advances. She won’t though. She got the message after the last time you were there with Sansa.”

Arya flopped down on Robb’s old twin bed and started tossing the baseball up in the air and catching it. Jon finished folding up shirts and shorts and putting them in his rucksack. Anything else could be stuffed in last minute in the morning.

“Jon?”

“Yeah?”

“We’re going to be alright, right?”

He looked over at her in time to catch the hint of tears in her eyes. His heart clenched painfully. She’d been part of his life every day since they were both six. He loved her like a sister.

He sat down on the bed and put his arm around her shoulders, squeezing her tight. Arya didn’t cry very often and he knew how much she hated for anyone to make a thing of it when she did. So, he held her and maybe let a few of his own tears fall.

“We’re going to be alright,” he said when they’d both stopped sniffling. “You’re not getting rid of me that easy.”

“Four years…”

“Maybe. But I know where I want to live when I’m done with school.”

“Winterfell.”

“Yeah.”

“What if you change your mind?”

“I guess it could. That kind of depends on your sister. Maybe we’ll both ask you where you’re headed and follow you around.”

“Maybe I want to live in Winterfell, too.” She stood and wiped her eyes, ruffling his hair playfully like she was fond of doing. He supposed the moment was over for now and stood, too. “Hey, Jon?”

“Yeah?”

“If you marry Sansa someday, you’d really be my brother.”

“Yeah. Hey, Arya?”

“Yeah?”

“That’s precisely what I plan to do. I’m afraid you’ll never be rid of me.”

She jumped into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was still holding her when Sansa walked into the room. He saw her smiling at them both.

“It’s our last night here and the moon if full. The boys were talking about a swim.”

“In the lake?”

“Yeah.”

“And, you’re actually thinking of going, Sans?” Arya asked incredulously.

“Yeah. I thought…maybe. I mean, there’s probably some enormous creature down there waiting to eat us but I can’t let my little brothers go alone, right?”

“Right,” Arya nodded. “I’ll grab my suit.”

“I’ll put on some trunks and meet you both there.”

Sansa started to follow but then turned back. “You know that hot tub looked sort of inviting for warming up after the lake.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Seems like we never have enjoyed it together.”

“You’re right. That’s really a shame.”

“Maybe after Arya and the boys head in…”

“Suits optional?”

“Very optional.”

Oh, yeah. He was definitely going to marry her someday.

 

* * *

 

 

**One year later…**

 

The year had been a busy one with lots of new things to learn but it hadn’t changed the way he felt about Sansa one iota. They’d managed to make the best of their separation. Jon wound up making really good grades since he wasn’t very keen on partying without his girl around.

However, his roommate was always up for any party which was a bonus for Jon. It allowed him to talk to his girl most every night without an audience…and allowed privacy for video chats and phone sex.

Just like that first night she’d tempted and teased him under the full moon at Long Lake, she was an expert at making him lose his mind even when he couldn’t touch her. Of course, it was a two-way street. Watching Sansa’s nipples harden and the flush spreading across her chest as she frigged herself and he talked dirty to her was a win-win all around in his opinion.

Cumming together over the internet wasn’t as good as the real thing though and his car gained a lot of miles driving back and forth to Winterfell whenever he could.

Sansa and his mother had both liked how often he came home. With him officially off to college, Jon had worried a lot about his mother being alone. But at Christmas, she’d admitted (with far more blushing than he’d ever expect from her) that she’d met a man while he was away and started dating. He’d been pretty nervous meeting Jory Cassel at first but he’d turned out to be a great guy. He was a carpenter which was something that interested Jon as a potential career. He was also good with cars which came in handy with Jon’s car getting older. But most importantly, he treated Jon’s mother like a princess, just like she deserved. There was no way of knowing how it’d all go but Jon had already decided he wouldn’t mind having a step-father like Jory.

Over spring break, they’d gone to White Harbor with Arya and Gendry. The two couples had shared a cheap suite and spent their days exploring the town together and walking along the beach…and their nights pretending they couldn’t hear the other couple in the next room with the paper-thin walls. Needless to say, it made for some awkward breakfasts but it’d been worth it all the same.

Summer rolled around again and the Starks were spending their July at Long Lake. Jon and Sansa had decided to spend two weeks there and the other two weeks enjoying a blissfully empty house back in Winterfell.

Arya had brought Gendry. The guys were sharing one room and the girls the other. And while there was an agreed time that Sansa would slip off to Jon’s room and Gendry would slip off to the girls’ each night, no one wanted to be caught out in the hall in their underthings by Ned…not that he didn’t know what was happening but he also _didn’t_ want to know.

_Hey, the pretense is part of the fun, right?_

A few nights after they arrived, the moon was full and Jon was feeling adventurous.

“This is crazy,” Sansa said as he took her by the hand and they headed down the trail towards the lake.

“You like crazy. The moon is out and I figured everyone should be able to say they’ve done this at least once in their lives.”

“There’s all sort of things in that lake I don’t want to think about getting near me, Jon Snow, especially when it’s dark.”

“You came down here last year with all of us at night.”

“And I sat on the dock if you’ll recall.”

“Well, I tend to recall what we did in the hot tub after more to be honest. Aw, come on, Sansa. Live a little. I’ll bet I can make you forget all about those things in the lake you’re worried about.”

“I’ll bet you’re right. So skinny dipping, huh?”

“Skinny dipping.”

He didn’t expect sex there. That would be later in his bed. But kissing her senseless when they reached the water, giggling like children as they tugged off shoes and shorts and shirts and holding hands as they leapt into the water together was a memory that would stay with him always, he was certain.

She was a beauty under the light of the moon, his girl smiling shyly as they started fooling around, the love of his life wrapping her arms around his neck…it was perfect.

“It is rather romantic,” she admitted.

“See, I told you. You just needed to- _Eeeeeek!”_

“Jon?!”

“Something just brushed against my leg!”

“That was me, Jon,” she laughed.

“Right, right. Sorry. Soooo…enough skinny dipping?”

“Enough skinny dipping. But, I could use a hot shower,” she said coyly as they started to climb back out.

“Oh, sweetheart. I love the sound of that.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading :)
> 
> Lyrics from 'Hallelujah' by Leonard Cohen and 'Bring It on Home to Me' by Sam Cooke.


End file.
